I Don't Hate You
by SergeantJohnston
Summary: Jessica Woods wants to know the secrets her mother and father kept from her and she is determined to get them through her mother even though she's losing her memory. Little does she know that she will have a whole new outlook on her parents after hearing her mother's stories. Woods/OC Please, R
1. Chapter 1: Beginning a Journey

**Okay, so here's the like, millionth, try at this Call of Duty: Black Ops fanfiction. The other two or three times I have done this, just haven't satisfied me and it had been a massive struggle updating, but I think this one might be different. I always loved this way of story-telling which is probably why I loved the narrative story-telling on both Black Ops and Black Ops 2. So, from that inspiration and the fact that I've always wanted to write something like this, I give you a revised edition of my Black Ops Fanfiction. I hope it turns out okay, and I hope you enjoy the little twist from the original. **

**Also, I do not own the Call of Duty franchise. I only own, Jesselynn, Jessica, Michael, and many other OCs that will be involved in this story. If I owned Call of Duty, Frank Woods would be locked in my closet...You didn't read that!**

* * *

"Michael, please, we already talked about this! Only mention what she would remember and you know what time that would be. No weddings or first dates things. Nothing from our recent past," A middle-aged woman with long brown hair and sharp green eyes demanded of her older brother as she argued with him, walking down a long hallway with spaced doors on each wall.

The older blonde-haired man with pale blue eyes let out a saddened deep breath as he looked at his younger sister. He was the second-oldest of their siblings and the closet to the woman they were visiting for the first time. Well, to her it would be the first time. The mere fact crippled his heart and he tucked his cold, nervous hands into his gray coat pockets.

"Okay, but I don't see how this is going to help anything. You remembered what the doctor told us, why we shouldn't be bothering with these questions. It's just-" He said hesitantly as he moved out of the way so an elderly woman, clinging to a nurse in red scrubs, could walk slowly by as he pressed his disagreement to this even more.

"Just what, Michael?" She turned and snapped at him, green eyes igniting flames as she looked at him with anger, "This is our mother, Mike. The only reason we are living and breathing on this earth. I don't want her to waste away like this. Completely forgetting who she really is 'till she slowly forgets how to even breathe! No, if there's a way I could help her, I'm going to! I know you and Melanie and the others said that it was useless, but I'm not giving up!" She said stepping closer so she could whisper to him, voice full of venom and anger at his disbelief.

"You don't think I feel the same way? My real father was an asshole and she was the only good thing in this world, the first person who actually gave a shit if I lived or not. Do you not think I want her with me all my life? But, Jess, after a while, you have to face reality!" He paused for a moment, feeling the pain rise again as his next words came out hesitantly, "Though I hate to say it, Mom is pretty much gone. She wouldn't remember us even if we played out our whole lives out to her," He finished in a softer tone, begging for her to see reason in his words.

Her expression softened, but her decision was clear and she wasn't changing her mind for anything. Michael groaned as he followed after his sister once again who was practically jogging down the hallway to reach the room number the receptionist gave them moments before.

Michael thought of the woman they were visiting as he walked behind his sister. She was his mother and he loved her more than life itself. That was an obvious fact. Before he was born, his biological father kicked both he and his older sister out of the house and forced her to walk to the town so she could, what he remembered from her stories and her words, 'get the hell away from or he'd kill her'. She was a month from her due date and had a four year old daughter. No money or any sort of transport. The blood in his veins curdled when he thought about that man and all he had done to his mother before he was born. The reason he knew so much about this man was because of the stories his mother told him when he was about sixteen and he was determined to know about his real father. She had told him everything, why she never wanted Michael around him and why he was never there. He appreciated the struggle his mother burdened. If she had been weak, both he and his mother would've died before he could even enter the world. He didn't even want to think of what he would've done to his older sister.

He began to think of the woman he had looked up to most of his life. They may have been half-siblings, but to him, it never mattered. She had grown so fast and the day she was gone from their life was like a speeding rocket. Flying by fast and ending in disaster. His step-father and her biological father took it hard when she married. He just couldn't believe that his oldest child was already grown and out of the house. Although, he good reason to fear her being away from his sight. Michael was scared that she had put herself in the same position her mother had been in years ago.

Then there was Jessica, the stubborn woman he was practically chasing down the hall to catch up with. She was his mother and step-father's second child together and also her third child. She had grown up completely oblivious to some things. Like when her father was leaving half the time to fight. She'd always ask her mother every day he was gone where he was and why he wasn't there.

But, when he was, he was always dragged around by the surprisingly strong little girl as she immediately forced him into a game of dress-up or dolls. Although, when her younger brother was born, she was like Melanie. She constantly tried acting like the oldest sibling and often followed her mother around to get a vision of how a mother acts. Same thing Melanie had done with Michael.

His thoughts and memories were interrupted when Jessica suddenly halted in her steps and looked back at her older brother, almost as if she was looking for his permission to open the door before she softly knocked on the door, Michael nervously waiting a step behind her.

When she slowly creaked the door open, they were immediately greeted with the familiar scent of cinnamon and mint. Their mother was always fond of the two fragrances and could never decide between them so she just decided to go with both. Their childhood homes always smelled this way. At least one thing hadn't changed about her.

The room was almost completely identical to what had been her bedroom back home. Her favorite, old paintings hung on separate walls while family pictures and some awards decorated the rose-wallpaper walls. Near her neat bed, Michael could see a collage of drawings that were scribbled on by young, small hands. He could see his name, Melanie's, Jessica's, and his other siblings' names sloppily written in the bottom corner of the page. The drawings matured over the years, but they were mostly his and his brother's, Samuel's. They both loved to draw over the years and Michael often drew pictures of sceneries that belonged in his mother's childhood yeas. Memories of her parents and brother and her short time with them.

The awards that hung on the wall were mostly those of her nursing career. There was few, but he remembered how proud she had been of those. Her husband usually had two times more than her, but she never minded showing them off more than hers. In her eyes, after all he had done and went through, he deserved to brag about it.

Along a shelf was even more family photos, but they were smaller and lined along the shelf in a single-file line. There was at least one for each family member. He could see his and his siblings school photos when they were younger, and two of her and her husband. There was one of her brother during his time in the Vietnam war. He remembered that that was also where she met her husband. There were so many memories lined up against the shelf and he could see that there was even more by the two or three photo albums on the bottom shelf.

The last thing his eyes fell on was his elderly mother. Her white hair was cut short and placed in old-fashioned curls as she sat on her favorite chair, messing with an old shirt that he could already tell was the raggedy, old shirt of his younger brother. He remembered how he had tripped and landed in wet dirt and got his favorite old shirt completely ruined. There was a loose button on it already and their mother had always vowed to fix it, but she never got around to it. Soon, he outgrew the shirt and she just put it aside since she thought it useless to mess with it any longer. Apparently, her mind was stuck in the past at the moment.

"Um...Excuse me," Jessica began, nervous of starting this conversation with the elderly woman.

She looked up from her work and her green eyes found their hesitant faces. She was still as pretty as he remembered, but had obviously aged. Wrinkles had set in and she no longer wore her make-up, though she never really wore that much before. Her reading glasses hung on a golden chair around her neck and he could by her face she was racking her brain trying to recall their names and faces.

"Would you two quit with the faces? I'm not a damn time bomb, for Christ's sake! Come in, sit," She said finally in a wavering voice and gestured to the chairs beside her that the nurses normally used.

The two siblings exchanged a glance as a smile stretched across Jessica's small mouth. Michael grinned with her knowing what was going through their minds. Their mother would never lose that attitude even if she was slowly losing herself.

Michael took a seat beside his mother, inhaling a faint scent of her perfume. It was almost identical to the fragrance in his memories. He didn't know how she could possibly find the same brand from years and years ago, but somehow she managed.

It was quiet for a moment as they watched her finish her work with the yellow-and-black striped shirt and placed her folded hands in her lap, turning to the two.

"So, what can I do for you two, today?" She asked softly, still not knowing exactly who they were and was honestly quite nervous and hesitant in their presence.

Jessica looked over to her older brother for some kind of help, but sighed softly to herself when he just shrugged, not knowing how to start their conversation.

"Well, if you don't mind, we'd like to ask you some questions, Jesse," Jessica began, finding it difficult to use her mother's first name instead of the formal 'Mom' she was so used to calling her.

The woman, Jesse, just began to laugh softly, a million memories coming to mind at the mere nickname, "Jesse – Now, there's a name I hadn't heard in a long, long time. I hadn't been called that since, well, maybe since before you two were born. Which reminds me, what are your names?" She said fondly at the memories and looked at the two, still thinking about the name.

There was a pause between the three as Jessica thought over what she should give her. She knew that if she said Jessica and Michael, she'd catch on and probably start ranting about how they possibly couldn't be those little children she loved so dearly in the picture. She wasn't ready to start pushing her mother into that. She would eventually ask her about that, but not right off the bat.

"I'm Jazmine. This is my brother, Jeremy. We're really interested in hearing about your husband and I promise you we're not trying to get any information out of you for stories or articles or some shit like that, pardon my language," Jessica explained, immediately apologizing at the end in force of habit. She remembered how much she hated hearing her children curse even when they were adults.

"Oh, don't you worry about that. My husband was the worse. Every time I tell him to not curse in front of our little ones, he'd turn around and do it again! It's a surprise their first words weren't 'fuck' or 'damn'," She said with a smile as she waved off the woman's apology.

Michael scoffed remembering their constant bickering. He remembered how Melanie began cursing around fifteen thanks to their father. He had vowed to keep it a secret, but it got out by the time she was about sixteen or seventeen when she was driving Jesse to town once and suddenly slammed on her breaks when the green light turned red, unknowingly calling out a 'fuck' right in front of her mother.

"Okay, so, we should get started. Never liked waiting around for something. What is it you want to ask me?" The elderly woman pushed on as the two were quiet in front of her, reminiscing on things of the past as they sat in their mother's room who had no idea that these were her children, her 'babies' sitting before her. The people she had wanted to see since she had moved into the retirement home.

Jessica and Michael exchanged a glance before continuing. He could already tell this was going to a long journey.

"We want to ask you about Sergeant Frank Woods; your husband," Jessica said finding the name difficult to say because of a lump in her throat.

Michael knew she was holding back tears from the clear revelation that their mother had no recollection of them and that her father had been taken from her recently for almost same reasons as her mother. She could still visit her father and he still remembered her from birth to present, but he was far away from her.

Jesse's smile faded as she thought about the man. A million, no billion, memories rushed through her mind from the name. She knew that man like the back of her hand. The one who changed her life completely. Saved her from a pathetic marriage and gave her a life. Sergeant Frank Woods. The name made her smile and she was more than happy to speak of him and how she met him.

She looked up to the two and they knew immediately that there were fixing to get every single detail of every second she was with him. Jessica was ready for it. She wanted to know everything about her mother and father as she could before all of those memories were gone.

She wanted to know why they had kept so many secrets from her and her siblings. She wanted to know why her Daddy came home to her in a wheelchair. Why another boy randomly lived amongst their family for a while. What had happened when he was away. What had happened before her birth.

She wanted to know their secrets.

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**Yeah, it's short. Just something to, hopefully, get you interested and also to test to see if anyone actually wants to read this. I hope you guys do! But if not, it will probably be redone (for the millionth time) or just tossed aside (maybe, there's been a year's worth of thought put into this story!) **

**Please review and tell me what you think of it so far! All sorts of feedback are very appreciated, but sometimes it really helps to read the words of a human! (You better be humans...) **

**Please stick around to figure out about this crazy family that has been racking my brains since the very first time I laid eyes on Call of Duty: Black Ops and watch me struggle with the storyline! **

**Thanks for reading and please, come again! (Or I'll make Jessica snap at you...)**


	2. Chapter 2: Leaving Behind a Burden

"I know I said we came to just talk about your husband, but I gotta know. Why were you even with him during the war in the first place? Like, what got lead you there?" Jessica asked some moments later knowing the woman would become impatient as she scooted up in her chair like a small child listening to a thrilling bedtime story.

Michael glanced at his sister before setting his eyes on Jesselynn. Her brow wrinkled in concentration as if she was somehow trying to make the memory appear before them. A grin played across her mouth when the memory came back to her.

"That had to have been the greatest day of my life, then. My younger brother, Justin, had joined the army right out of high school. I was so angry and proud at the same time. Angry that I had spent years with an asshole I didn't even care about so that he may have a better and brighter future, like our parents had wanted for both of us. I was proud because of his decision, also. He stood up for what he thought was right and was brave enough to fight for his country instead of some who could...Oh, I guess, 'talk the talk, but not walk the walk'?" She paused for a moment deciphering if that was the right phrase for this moment before continuing, waving it away with a quick stroke of her hand, "Anyway, after realizing that my brother was gone and didn't need for me to be with Marcus any longer, I decided to 'sign-up' for the medical position in the army. Justin might've hated it, but I loved it.

"I was a nurse, you see. They needed more skilled hands at the time and I thought what was better than doing the thing I love the most while also helping our country during these tough times? So, after a good long while, I was able to go down to the first base they had assigned me to. Justin wasn't there and it broke my heart 'cause I wasn't there to look after him, but I was kind of an idiot back then. I don't know why I constantly fretted about him when he was in the damn army! I came there to help the soldiers, not be a baby-sitter. Don't know why I thought that. Guess it was just my natural maternal side kicking in at the time. I always felt like I needed to be caring for someone or making sure they're alright. Well, everyone except Marcus. Bastard could have been lying in a ditch somewhere but that wouldn't have mattered to me. Still doesn't," She said thoroughly explaining herself and the short back story included with it.

Michael grew even more curious with every moment she mentioned Marcus, his father. He had no idea she had hated him so strongly, for she usually tried to sugar coat some things when he was younger. Things like, 'Well, he just had a slight anger problem,' and 'He just might have had something much more important to do at the moment, sweetie,'. He couldn't count the many times he had heard those words and those like them while growing up when it came to his father, but it still made him wonder; What was this 'greatest day of my life' that she was talking about?

"What do you mean 'greatest day of your life'?" Michael asked unable to keep the question to himself anymore. He was almost worried that this woman in front of either beat the shit out of Marcus or killed the man by the way she talked both about him and the day. He received a slight glare from Jessica because he had interrupted her questioning, but Michael didn't care.

Jesselynn's gaze redirected from Jessica's face to Michael's who was slightly surprised that she had turned to him since he had been sitting quietly beside her, not bothering to say anything as Jessica conversed with their mother.

A grin began to play at her lips at the memory, "It was the day I was finally able to leave the bastard, of course," She said with a tone that said she was jokingly surprised that he didn't know about her hidden memories, "The day I left to head out to the base, I was engaged to Marcus. Like I said, if I had said yes or did whatever Marcus wanted me to do, he would help Justin. Help him get the best life like I always wanted. But...Since Justin was gone and no longer had his future in Marcus's hands, I figured why have mine? I never wanted him nor wanted to be around him. There was definitely some things said that had been held back and boy, I tell you it felt absolutely wonderful!" She said ending her sentence with a laugh and twinkling eyes that was the evidence they both needed to emphasize her complete joy at the day.

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_June 19, 1961_

_Cold Spring, New York_

_Jesselynn Thorne _

"Save it, Marcus," The twenty-seven year old brunette said as she slung her bag over her shoulder, trapping a few strands of brown hair against her shoulder and collarbone.

The tall blonde followed her back and forth as she grabbed her luggage from the front porch of their two-story home, trying to resist the urge of screaming at her and dragging her back in the house like he usually did when she tried to leave at night and sneak out of their bedroom. He had vowed that he wouldn't drink so early in the morning, but that was the first thing he began to crave as he watched the slim, young woman eagerly prepare her escape from him.

"C'mon, what the hell are you even going to do down there? Yeah, yeah, I know you're going to save lives and make sure the soldiers are alive, but don't they have any men out there for that? You know, men who wouldn't squeal at a damn 'possum at night or freak out when they nearly hit a squirrel on the road," He pressed on with a cold, harsh tone with a smug grin, just knowing his every words would make her more and more aggravated.

"You know perfectly well why I don't like the night, Marcus. Besides, I'm only human, asshole. Is it such a crime to get spooked when something's making a shit-load of noise in the middle of night? Throw me in jail!" She said throwing the bag into the trunk of the vehicle, angrily turning to him as she placed her balled fists on her hips, squinting against the sun light that was peaking in and out from the tree above them.

He just rolled his blue eyes at the woman and leaned against the side of the car door, catching the sparkle of the diamond on her ring. For some reason, the fact that she continued to wear the item both amused and shocked him.

"What's with the ring? Thought you threatened to put it down the garbage disposal?" He questioned, pointing towards her balled left fist with his chin, mocking eyes never leaving her face.

Her glare softened as she remembered the item she had grown so used to wearing for they had been engaged for almost a year. She brought her hand towards her face, taking one last look at the ring. Even though she hated to admit it, Marcus had always given her the best gifts. The ring was gorgeous and she knew it had probably cost him an arm and a leg to get, but that didn't matter to her anymore. He'd probably just take to some pawn shop to get some kind of money after it when she left.

"What's it matter to you? Want the ring? Here, take it!" She said sliding the silver band from her finger and placing it in her palm, outstretched to him with a serious, smug face.

He was surprised that she had been so assertive about the situation. He had imagined her to be more emotional about this than simply so confident of giving up the ring. He reached out to take it back, hesitantly, as she pushed her palm impatiently closer to him.

Just as he was fixing to pick it up the ring, she suddenly tossed it over his shoulder, disappearing in the green grass behind them. His eyes widened in surprised and immediately looked over his shoulder in hopes of finding the sparkle, but found nothing. He turned back to her and found her storming towards the car door.

He felt that familiar hate for this woman as he watched her open the car door and took swift, long steps to make it towards her before she could get in. He didn't care now that it was morning and they weren't in the safety of the house, he grabbed her elbow and slung her away from the vehicle, slamming the car door behind them as he turned towards her.

There was a part of Jesselynn that feared what he would do while another part of her didn't care. She was going to be far away from him soon and she didn't care what shit he did or said to her. She brushed back a strand of hair that had been knocked out of place as she crossed her arms against her chest, readying herself for his usual rant.

"You are really pushing my buttons, you stupid bitch! If you were inside you would've gotten the shit beat out of you for that! You knew exactly how much that cost! You must be begging me to hit you!" He whispered angrily to her, words full of venom as he pulled her close to him by her elbow again, wanting to look straight into her green eyes.

"Of course I knew, you asshole! You treated me like shit and a punching bag for years, I figured it was about time that I showed you what I really think of your 'proposal'. You don't realize how happy I am at the thought of leaving your sorry ass behind!" She said pushing him away from her, only angering him twice more than he was before.

"You really are stupid, aren't you? You should learn to be thankful of a good thing while you got it! I was helping your brother, isn't that what you wanted? You didn't complain when you were getting all those gifts, the clothes, did you? I made sure you never had to worry about anything! All you had to do was take the fucking hits! I come home drunk every night! You fucking bitch, you should be thanking me!" He said quietly for just her ears to hear, blue flames igniting in his eyes as he glared at her, balling his fists at his side.

Jesselynn's eyes were wide. She couldn't believe how much this man had completely brain-washed himself! When she first met the man, he did do what he had said. He had his occasional "hissy fits" during their first seven months together, but once he realized she would've done or taken anything if it resulted in the best for her brother, he grew cruel and heartless. He had loved the fact that he could get or do anything to her and she wouldn't say or argue against anything.

"Yeah, because every woman loves being beat and constantly told how she'll never amount to anything! Yeah, you're everyone's fucking dream guy!" She argued back, mocking grin spreading across her face.

He was surprised of her use of words for she never really liked the word before, but now he could definitely tell that she was furious with him.

"And to think that you said your parents had so much faith in you! You can't even act reasonable when someone offers you a stress-free life! Sounds more like they were the ones who the fucking idiots!" He said slightly louder, hoping that would make her break and she would give up on this ridiculous dream of moving far away from him.

Jesselynn felt her heart break into a million pieces at his words. She knew he was capable of saying the worst things known to mankind, but she couldn't believe that he was stoop that low to her. She could feel tears appear, struggling to cling onto the rim of her eyelids which made her furious. That's what he wanted to happen. He wanted to see her break down and cry bitter tears, but that's not what she wanted. She didn't want to look weak or delicate in front of him anymore. She angrily wiped away the tears the back of her hand before taking swift steps towards him.

He thought she would either break down and cry like she used to when she got near him or, now, just say some more smug, angry words, but instead of those options, she did something completely different.

She moved the hand that was wiping away tears from her face and struck him across the face with all her might, grunting slightly when her palm came in contact with his stubble chin and cheek, knocking him slightly out of balance because of mere shock and from the impact of her slap.

"Don't you dare say another word against my parents, you dick! They were the smartest and most caring people on this damn planet! My father was definitely a million times more a man than you could ever be!" She yelled this time, pointing a finger in his direction as she watched him place a hand to his face, ears ringing and skin stinging.

Her breath was coming out shallow as she tried to release her anger, straightening her tan, peach and green plaid shirt, staring at her white tennis shoes as she did.

"Now, I'm leaving, Marcus. I am serious about this and I'm not letting you stand in the way of this just because you'll miss something to yell at things aren't going you're way. I'm sure you'll find someone else real soon, anyway. If you were able to find me in that short amount of time I'm sure there's someone out there in this world that might just be as willing to take a couple of punches in order to get your gifts," She said staring straight into his pale blue eyes with her light green with a serious tone in her voice.

His ears still rang from her hand, but he could hear her loud and clear. He knew that she was completely serious and that she wasn't going to break down in front of him no matter how rewarding and amusing it would be. He glared at her for a moment, then groaned, waving at hand at her. That desire for a drink was suddenly turning into a deep need.

"Fine, get the hell out of here! Maybe I'll find someone smarter! Someone who can take my generosity better than you!" He said in annoyance as he began his way towards the porch, hoping to patronize her one last time before she was finally gone. This time, it wasn't out of hopes of starting a fight or just creating a scene for his amusement, he wanted her gone now. He was looking forward to finding someone different.

Jesselynn was surprised for a moment that he had given up so easily, but it also didn't surprise her. He always marked her as the one would give in so easily. Surrender so easily. Maybe that was why Justin only left home with small bruises or marks. He didn't mess with a kid that would scream and kick back. A chill ran down her spine that made her shudder at the memory of finding bruises on his arms after she left him home with Marcus over the weekend when they got the word that their foster mother had been dieing and was wanting to at least see one of them. She felt bad for leaving him with him since he practically begged her that day, hoping to see the woman that took them in after their parents had died and praying he could escape Marcus also.

She was so glad that they were both getting the opportunity to do just that. Justin had been the lucky one though, he had left early and didn't have to go through the mess she just went through with Marcus. She cried and clung to him when the day came for him to leave, but that was the only thing he had to worry about. Marcus had been suffering a hangover from the previous night and didn't want to be bother. Jesselynn knew it wouldn't have mattered either way, he never cared about the boy. He just considered him extra baggage that he couldn't wait to be rid of.

Jesselynn clung to the locking around her neck as she made her way to her car, praying no one saw their fighting even though she knew many were still in bed and fast asleep. The grass was wet and the lazy, morning sun peaked through the trees and fell on her long brown hair that bounced against her backbone and back as she tried to hurry from his property as fast as she could.

Her whole body relaxed when she sat in the passenger seat, clutching the steering wheel in front of her as she took in a deep breath. She was both hesitant and scared of what was to come for her now. Ever since she was ten, her life consisted and circled around Justin. Now that he was a young man and made his own future, she had to focus on her life. She was twenty-seven and nearing thirty. She couldn't help but smile when she thought about both her foster mother and the help that really raised Jesselynn and Justin. They always told her that by the time she was eighteen, she better make sure that marrying and giving her foster mother, in a way, grandchildren. She knew they were just joking and were trying to show her how they thought she was beautiful and determined enough to pursue that kind of life, but Jesselynn never perceived herself as that. She never considered herself beautiful or pretty so she often blushed when someone had complimented her. She even sat there now blushing at the memories. She knew it was a dumb and corny thought, but she couldn't help but think how long it had been since she was complimented on anything. She was used to Marcus' cold and cruel words that whenever someone did say something nice about her, she immediately denied it and thought they were just lying to make her feel better.

She growled at herself as she realized she was losing focus. Getting away from Marcus was the first step in her new journey. She turned the key as she ran a hand through her hair and let out a breath she had no idea she had been keeping in.

She felt a tremendous burden lift from her shoulders as she pulled out of the driveway, finding Marcus' form growing smaller and smaller from the rear-view mirror.

* * *

"So...You completely bitch-slapped him?" Michael asked with amusement in his voice, smile stretching across his mouth.

Jessica gave him a stern glare, but Jesselynn just laughed with him.

"Yes, I guess you can say that. God, did it feel good. Some days I feel bad for doing so, but I remember all the times he did the exact same thing to me and sometimes worse and I don't feel so bad. Never could have told my boy that. It'd be pretty hypocritical of me if I did. I was always telling him that violence and fighting was never the answer when I was the one slapping his father just because I got annoyed over the years, but he deserved it also. That was the lowest and most disrespectful thing I had ever heard him say before as long as I had known him. He could insult me all he wanted to but he wasn't going to just get away with saying that of my parents," Jesse explained trying to make it sound like she wasn't exactly the bad guy in this case, though she knew she could have kept her temper more throughout that fight years and years ago.

"Well, I think you did the right thing. You must have had a lot of patience to deal with that guy. I'd probably be in jail for his murder if it was me!" Michael said trying to assure the elderly woman's cautious mind with a gentle smile and light joke.

Jesselynn didn't say much, but grinned. She suddenly looked over at the clock and realized what she should have been doing moments before.

She slipped on her shoes that were beside the chair and was fixing to help herself up when Michael jumped out of his seat and was immediately by her side, taking her hand. She tried to swat him away, but he continued to stay there.

"Where are you going, Jesse?" Jessica asked standing on the other side of her, worrying that something might be wrong.

She looked at the two worried faces in front of her and just grinned, "Jesus, you two. I'm just going for my walk. I always take a walk around two-thirty. I hate being couped up like some sick animal. C'mon, we'll walk and talk," She said as she slowly began walking towards the door, picking up some speed once she got some of her leg muscles familiar again with walking.

Michael was already grabbing her jacket, just in case, while Jessica hesitantly waited behind for a short second.

"I thought we were answering my questions! Not taking walks!" She muttered to herself when they stepped outside, hating the feeling of being annoyed that her mother was stalling.

Knowing she'd end up dragging her out there with her and not wanting to be alone with all these painful memories she knew her mother would someday forget, she stepped outside the hall, already finding them in the main lobby.

She cursed under her breath while also smiling. She always had that trick of popping in and out of anywhere.

* * *

**Yeah, you can definitely tell I'm excited for this story, I actually updated within a few days instead of a few weeks! I'm hope you enjoyed this one, I know it was loads of fun to write :) I don't know why, but I just love writing those heated arguments. Really wanted to show how much of an ass Marcus is supposed to be (from my messed-up imagination) I hope I was able to show it without it turning out really weird or kind of stupid.**

**There should be chapters with our (well, maybe our I don't know who's your favorite character) beloved Frank Woods soon. Not entirely sure which or how many chapters it will be until he is first seen, but it should be very soon if not the next chapter. We'll just leave that to the imaginary people in my head to decide...The characters, I mean. I swear I'm not insane!**

**Anyway, please review or leave any kind of feedback! Anything at all would be very appreciated :) Hope you enjoyed this story so far and let me know if I should continue! Thank you very much and have a wonderful day! :D**


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting Mr Woods

Michael walked alongside Jesselynn as they moved forward to her usual trail, hands folded behind his back as he watched her soak in the warm sun. She had always loved being outside on warm afternoons. She remembered watching her children when they were young outside while also reading her newest book and drinking a glass of tea. She missed those moments dearly when they were all so young and innocent and the only biggest decisions or problems they had were 'Should I eat my leftover candy now or later?' Now, in her mind, they were nearly teenagers and had some tougher decisions in their lives.

Jessica walked a step behind them, hoping this wasn't going to be a long walk. She wanted to focus on the questions. She hated how rude she sounded, she loved her mother dearly, but reminiscing on other memories that she already knew just made her heart break even more. She wasn't there when her mother started losing her memory. She was twenty at the time and was away in college when they had noticed signs of her memory loss. She remembered Michael contacting her when they diagnosed her. She felt like she had let her mother down so much by not being around her more. At the time, it had been nearly two years since they were all together and now, she thought, she would never be able to talk about her life or children with her mother. It made her heart shrivel into a million pieces at the thought of her own mother not knowing who she was; forgetting a little over half of her life.

Michael interrupted her self-pity part with a question of his own, one that Jessica actually approved of.

"So, after you left Marcus, what happened after that?" He asked as looked down at the small, elder woman walking calmly and slowly beside him.

"Well, that's when I started my career as a medic in the military. Like I said before, I started at close military bases and slowly made my way up. I was wholly concentrated in my work and never had any other thoughts besides my brother. I got the monthly letter from him, he often spoke of his training days and how he was learning and growing stronger each day which made me tear up every time. I was so used to seeing him as my baby brother who I always needed to protect from everything and now he was learning to fight, protect, and kill.

"As the years went by, the letters were easier to read because we were both growing into different personalities. I will admit that I got quite 'bitchy' without having anyone to really focus on and care about with my brother gone and I almost forgot what it was like actually having a family or loved one. It was four years after leaving my fiancée and forcing myself to trust my brother with his own safety along with others when I met two people who would actually help bring me back to my original self," Jesselynn explained as she watched the sun peak in and out the bright green tree branches as she walked along with the two, trying to get them up-to-date on the person she had grown to be after leaving Marcus.

"Was one of them your husband?" Jessica asked suddenly appearing on the other side of Jesselynn, trying her hardest to not say 'Dad'.

Jesselynn nodded with a warm grin at the younger woman, "Yes, he was one of them. The other was my friend, Roxanne. When I was 'recruited', as we used to say, to work with the medics during the Vietnam War. To me, it was quite the honor, but I had no idea my life was going to completely change when I did go," Jesselynn answered, remembering the day that changed her life completely.

* * *

_April 15, 1965_

_Vietnam_

_Jesselynn Thorne_

Jesselynn walked through the base with a fellow medic after going through her clearance. She had waited four years to be here and worked as a nurse for even longer before her time here. She was still trying to get herself accustomed to the new atmosphere, but it was so different than the others she had been to.

The woman beside her had pixie-like, black hair and hazel eyes that soaked in every little detail as they walked around. She hadn't caught her name, even though she gave it to her. Jesselynn hadn't paid any attention to the woman as she continued to ramble on and on about how excited and anxious she was to be here. She thought it was a little ridiculous that the woman beside her was acting as if this was some kind of field trip from school, but she tried to reassure herself with the fact that the army would only allow medics of the best caliber.

Her usual long brown hair that used to touch her back bone was now cut short to her shoulders that was also held back from her slightly tanned face with a black clip. She wore her usual uniform that she had worn times before. The woman was the same as hers, but her hair was far too short to really do anything with so she just styled it as much as she could before the trip out here.

Jesselynn remembered this because they had been in the same room the past night. She knew that this woman had talked to her, but she couldn't remember a single thing she had said. She had been to occupied trying to prep for, at the time, tomorrow and had her brother on her thoughts.

Jesselynn knew that Justin was here somewhere, for she remembered him mentioning the base in his letters. Well, that he could mention. She knew there were some things that he couldn't talk about with her, but she still loved their conversations.

They were usually about their lives and how, in his mind, was so much better than it had ever been. He always made sure that he mentioned his complete joy that Jesselynn was away from Marcus in ever single letter. Sometimes it would be with the P.S. Message at the bottom of the paper. He'd mention his favorite memories as he was growing up and often asked her the question if their parents would be proud of his decision.

Every time he asked this, her heart grew heavy and her sorrowful eyes caught the ground below her, refusing to see the words any longer. Her hurt her to think of those wonderful people that she missed every day of her life. She could still remember the night they had died. She remembered how alone she felt when she cried herself to sleep in that back seat. Every now and then, when she quickly goes by a mirror or glances at one, she sees the marred face of her mother in her eyes. It was a momentary image, but it still haunted her since she was a small girl.

She felt her heart grow heavy and decided to brush that off before she would get emotional. That was the last thing she wanted to do; to mark the impression that she was just some emotional little girl. She tried to think of something else, but was interrupted by the woman beside her who decided to make her presence even more known to Jesselynn.

"Hey Jess, do you wonder what it's going to be like here? I know it's a random question, but you know me. I can't go five minutes without my mouth being open," The woman asked trying to smuggle a light joke into her sentence.

Jesselynn partially felt bad that this woman knew her name and maybe even considered her a friend and she didn't even know her first name let alone some of the background she had yammered about one night. She hadn't cared about making any friends, for that wasn't why she had agreed to this, but she thought that this woman at least deserved an answer out of her.

"I, uh, don't know. I just know this is war so it's definitely not going to be summer camp," She answered, realizing it had come out colder than she had wanted it to. She thought the question was ridiculous! What did she expect to get out of this?

The woman cast her eyes to the ground, catching the coldness off her words. Her hazel eyes studied the dirt and rocks under their feet as she tried to continue their conversation. Well, more like her speaking and Jesselynn walking idly by.

"Well, I know, I just thought that there could be something amazing in store for us during this," She paused for a moment as she tried to get out of the way of one of the soldiers who were running in their direction and looked back at Jesselynn who continued to stare forward, silent, "I'm a glass-half-full kind of girl. I tried to find the best case scenario out of everything," She finished with a child-like grin lifting the corner of her mouth.

Jesselynn took in everything that she was saying, but didn't know what to say to her. Congratulate her for her optimism? She just felt better keeping quiet and acting as if though she couldn't hear the woman, no matter how rude it actually was.

The woman caught drift of this and sighed, giving up with the stubborn woman in front of her. She tightened her grip on her bag as she continued to walk a step behind her, taking in the scenery around them silently.

Jesselynn felt bad for being so rude to the woman behind her, but decided not to act on that feeling. She scoffed knowing how much Justin would have hated seeing her do that. He was always trying to play match-maker, even if it was just the friendly version of the game. As Jesselynn thought about it, he was probably going to be even more strict about the game now. He was probably wanting her to have a whole group of friends if things did go bad...A support group if he died.

A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of it and threw it aside to be abandoned. She didn't need to think about that. Justin was smart and capable of keeping himself alive. He was like the woman behind her sometimes, a glass-half-full kind of guy.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a large man came running towards her out of nowhere, and crashed into her shoulder. She was bounced back a step and felt herself collide into the woman behind her as she grunted.

"Hey! Watch it, as-" The angered, annoyed voice said loudly from the man's voice before cutting off suddenly in realization that it wasn't just some new recruit. Well, the new recruit he was thinking of.

Jesselynn craned her head up slightly to see a tall man with dark brown hair and matching facial hair around his chin and lip. He was in his uniform, the same as almost everyone else, and had light blue eyes that stood out the most in his dirty skin.

"Watch it, what?" She pressed on with her arms folded across her chest.

The woman behind Jesselynn still had her hands on Jesselynn's shoulders from where she caught when she fell back into her. Her hazel eyes glanced back and forth between this man and Jesselynn, wary and nervous about what Jesselynn was going to say to this man. She could tell just by looking at him that he was a soldier and had an authority that Jesselynn shouldn't mess with.

The man just stood upright and looked down at the two, "You just need to watch where you're going. Men are going to be running around here all the time, so I suggest you not take another stroll around here at that time again," He said with a grin.

Jesselynn arched a brow. She knew he was just trying to offer some, what she guessed, help to the two new women, but she didn't like being treated like some lost little girl, "Oh really? Well, we might need to be taking one of our 'little strolls' around here in case one of your soldiers asses nearly get blown off, sir," She said with a smirk.

The woman behind her slapped her upper arm and muttered a stern 'Jesse' under her breath at the woman's sudden harsh attitude.

He didn't think nothing of it and just brushed it aside. He had more important matters to attend to anyway, "Now, if you'll excuse me..." He said trailing off, inquiring their names.

"Jesselynn, I'm one of the new medics," She said letting her arms drop to her sides as the dust began to fly around them with the presence of one of the choppers landing nearby.

"Same here, I'm Roxanne," The woman, Roxanne, said stepping out from behind Jesselynn and offering the man before her a shake of her hand.

Jesselynn arched a brow curiously as she watched him take Roxanne's hand in his and firmly shake it once, gave a simple nod to Jesselynn and disappeared behind them as he heard his name being called behind him.

"Well...That was pleasant," Roxanne said sarcastically as she watched the man run off behind them and turned back to Jesselynn who still had her brow arched at her, "What?" She demanded with a surprised tone.

She just sighed, "Nothing, let's just go, okay? We still have to go by the infirmary and work out everything and get our schedules," Jesselynn said, already walking away from the scene of her encounter with the strange soldier that interested her and angered her at the same time.

Roxanne glanced behind them before following the woman. She could already tell that being with this woman was going to get her into trouble. That or some _very _interesting situations. Roxanne jogged to catch up with her, hoping to get to something normal.

* * *

**Okay, so, sorry that this chapter is short. I wanted to make more for Jesselynn's first encounter with the 'lovable' Mr. Woods, but my brain just shut down and wouldn't let me go into as much detail and writing as I wanted to, so, blame my brain.**

**I hope this suited you guys, for I try my best just for you. If there is anything that could help me with my writing, I would seriously love it if you could let me know in a review or any kind of feedback! **

**I hope this story is still interesting in anyway and hope you guys enjoyed this! Sorry for not updating faster, also. My sister (well, best friend, but we're like sisters...I think you're picking up what I'm laying down) is moving far away and I probably won't see her for years, so I've been spending a lot of time with as I possibly can before the big move so I haven't really had time to just sit down and write like I need and want to.**

**Anyway, I'll quit boring you with my rambling and let you get back to your busy schedule (which I'm sure you have. Well, everyone does besides me since I have like no social life whatsoever). So yeah, sorry for the wait and short chapter, leave me any kind of feedback, and have an awesome day oh and HAPPY HOLIDAYS and MERRY CHRISTMAS :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Some Wounds Don't Heal

"Sergeant Woods, you got a new recruit on your squad," A young man with auburn hair said with a grin, casually walking up beside him.

Sergeant Frank Woods moved his blue eyes from the choppers that had been flying in and out of the base, moving wounded soldiers or those returning from the field. The same woman he had met days earlier was already out there, running alongside the cot as someone read their report of the young man lying unconsciously or moaning in pain. She seemed well trained and very skilled at her job. She still had some rust though; he figured that she was used to regular check-ups at a hospital before she moved down here.

"Who is it?" He asked, rubbing his temples with his fingertips, trying to rub away the sudden exhaustion he was feeling. He guessed that was what he got for taking a moment to sit down.

"A Private named Thorne- Justin. He's twenty-four and has been training for six years. Looks as though he finally earned his place. Should be here in a matter of days," The man said stretching his arm muscles as he quoted what he had learned from the young man's, Justin's, report. It sounded like he had spent hours memorizing it and was growing annoyed of repeating it.

"Hm," Was all Woods had to say about the man's news. He was used to hearing about new recruits so this was no surprise to him.

The two men watched as another man was carried into the infirmary. This time, Woods spotted the younger woman that had been with the slightly older one, Jesselynn, if he remembered right. Roxanne? Wasn't that the name she had given him? He had remembered her as the one who had scolded Jesselynn during their brief discussion.

He hadn't had another encounter with the woman, but he'd be more surprised if he had. They were both engrossed in their line of duty that having the occasional conversation would be highly unlikely. The only way he could think of meeting the woman again would be taking a visit to the infirmary. Patient or not.

"You keep staring at 'em, man. It's starting to get a little creepy," The man suddenly said to him, breaking their momentary silence.

Woods looked up at him, brow arching, "What the hell are you talking about, Dale?" He questioned, straightening himself from his bent-over position on the crate he was using as a chair.

"I know you're just waiting for something to do, but staring at that girl who comes out every now and then is just weird," The man, Dale, said, grinning stretching across his mouth.

Woods just shook his head at the man, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just watching the only thing that has any action right now. Doesn't have anything to do with Jesselynn," He said, hoping it was as believable as it was in his mind.

"Oh, so her name's Jesselynn? How'd you get that slice of information?" He teased with a sly grin, causing the Sergeant beside him to shake his head, hiding a chuckle.

"Because I ran into her, jackass. The first day she was here she was roaming around with the other medic, Roxanne. I was trying to hurry to the field and I bumped into her, literally. We talked for a moment and told me her name. That's it," Frank said, explaining the origin of his knowledge of the woman, wanting Dale to know the facts before he started thinking any different.

Dale just chuckled, "Oh yeah, that's the woman Jacob mentioned. Said one of 'em might've been very flirtatious with our dear friend, Sergeant Woods," He said, remembering the man's, Jacob's, words and how he said that Frank had stumbled upon two new women who he had spoken with, a little bit longer than necessary.

Woods just rolled his eyes, "Whatever. You people gossip like old women. None of 'em were 'flirtatious', matter of fact, Jesselynn was the complete opposite. Not very fond of her, I must say, but she is interesting. Most of the women just kind of stay clear from our way and duck their heads. Guess she's just used to walking around freely," He said, his mind dwelling on the strange woman once again, staring off into the distance.

"Okay…Before this gets any weirder, I have to go. Oh, and you got some drool on your chin there, buddy," Dale said walking off with a smile, knowing Frank would be annoyed and maybe even a little angered with his constant mocking.

"Shut up, Dale," Woods just said, waving the man away as he continued to sit there, trying to think of other things besides the man. He was glad to be by himself anyway, he had more time to think about things.

He placed his elbows on his knees, brushing Jesselynn out of his mind as his thoughts returned to something he was more use to. His mind focused on this new recruit he was receiving in a few days, welcoming the thoughts of training as the sun began to set behind him.

* * *

Jesselynn wiped some of the blood from her hands as she stood outside the operation room. One of the soldiers had been shot in the abdomen earlier that day and the bullet had broken into several different pieces so it was a long procedure, but one she was familiar with. Her long hair was in a braid down her back, some strands lying lazily against her temple as she began to wash her hands once again.

Roxanne stood beside her, drying her hands with a calm face. Her hazel eyes stared down at the towel she was using, her head bobbing sleepily.

"Still haven't been sleeping well, Roxanne?" Jesselynn surprisingly asked, catching her friend's exhausted eyes.

Roxanne looked up to see Jesselynn looking straight at her, concern showing in her eyes. This surprised her, in all honesty, for she had considered that this woman she thought a friend cared nothing about her.

"Well…No. I don't know why, I'm just having troubled adjusting, I guess. It's different than my usual hours. Been…worried, also," Roxanne said in a weary tone, sighing at the start and began folding the towel she was using once she was done with it.

"Worried about what?" Jesselynn asked as she began to dry her hands, wondering what could be troubling the usual peppy woman she was becoming fond of. Jesselynn herself had been worrying herself, but it was mainly about her brother and from what she remembered, Roxanne had no siblings since she was an only child. She knew she lived a normal and happy life so she was completely surprised that something could've been troubling the calm woman's mind.

Roxanne played with the corner of the towel, trying to figure out how to speak of her worries. She sighed before starting, "Well, I guess I've just let this whole war thing get to me. Every second, it seems, men are wheeled or carried in to us nearly dying or asking about their fellow men's conditions. It just makes me sad, really," She said, trying to explain her feelings of all of this chaos she had signed up for.

"I know what you mean. It kills me to think that my brother could be out there in all this madness or even dead. I don't know and I can't get any information on him. Now a days, he's the only reason I'm continuing in this world. He's the only thing I got left," Jesselynn said trying to comfort the woman in front of her, giving her an encouraging grin.

There was a moment of silence between the two as Roxanne took a seat across from her, calm expression turning into a sorrowful one. She rested her elbows against her knees as she let out a deep breath, continuing the story she had told herself she was going to keep quiet, but now she was tired of holding it in.

"I know what you and some of the others thought about me. Hell, maybe even still think about me. An immature air-head who refuses to see the reality in this situation I'm in. I act like that to guard myself. Every single day it makes me think of what happened…why I'm alone.

"I was married, you know? You probably didn't, but yeah, I was married. He was a Sergeant in the army. We had married so young…I met him when I was just thirteen and he was fourteen. Looking back on it now, it seems that we were together for decades. Well, when I turned eighteen, we got married. Sometime after that I was pregnant with my little girl. The same time he was deployed in the army. It broke my heart to see him go, but I know that he had the best intentions. That was also the same year I started my medical career. Well, about a year, maybe two, later, I was reported with the news that my husband was shot and died hours later on an operating table. It tore me apart. I felt so broken and alone. If I didn't have my baby girl, Sonora, with me I probably wouldn't be standing here, breathing, talking with you.

"After I had my time to grieve, I started working harder. I always thought that if I had been there in that operating room, my husband would be alive. I never would have given up trying to save his life. I would've done anything! I mean, I had known him since we were kids and I know I'm probably just being dramatic and that it's pretty corny, but he was my soul mate. When he died, it was like a piece of me went with him. Ever since then, I've acted different. I tried to be oblivious to all that was around me, but being in that operating room…Reality never hit me so hard in my life. All I could was my husband's face and I could hear him in my head. My messed-up conscience was using my husband's voice to tell me how much I had failed him…" Roxanne said, pain in her voice as she ducked her head, trying to hide her face from Jesselynn.

Roxanne trailed off as tears appeared in her eyes, creating slow trails along her now pale cheeks. Jesselynn had never seen Roxanne like this and she honestly had no idea what to say or do. She wanted to comfort her friend, tell her that everything was going to be alright and that it wasn't her fault, but she couldn't find the right words.

Jesselynn knew that her reason of worry wouldn't compare to Roxanne's for she was just a worried, over-protective, older sister. She wouldn't know the pain of having the love of your life just ripped away from you like that. She wouldn't know how it felt to hide the pain from a small child you had to remain strong for no matter how much you just wanted to scream or cry.

Jesselynn looked at the woman in front of her with a saddened expression; she hated seeing the woman like this. Slowly, Jesselynn made her way to the silently grieving woman, hands folded in front of her as she took a seat beside her, unfolding a hand and placed it on Roxanne's shoulder.

"I…I don't know what it's like to go through what you had to go through, but…Roxanne, I'm here for you. I won't lie you; I'm guilty of having those same thoughts along with the others, but that was before you told me you're story… I'm sorry all this happened to you. I'm sorry for being a real bitch to you during the start of this. If you wanna slap me, you can," She paused with a grin, hoping to amuse the woman at least slightly. Roxanne just grinned for a moment, "You shouldn't beat yourself up over your husband's death. I'm sure the nurses and doctors did absolutely everything they could to, besides, I'm sure he's in a much better place now. I know it's kinda corny also and I normally don't talk about stuff like this, but I'm sure he's watching over you and your daughter, Sonora, isn't it?" Jesselynn said trying to encourage her and comfort her, catching the woman's hazel eyes as she began to wipe away tears.

Roxanne looked up at the woman and smiled, "Yeah, thank you. I really do appreciate you trying to cheer me up," She paused for a moment, smiling at a memory that had come to mind, "Today's her birthday. She wrote her own letter and everything telling me about the early birthday party her grandmother had planned for her. It's her tenth. I feel awful for missing it. I mean, isn't it kind of a big deal. A whole decade; double digits from now on? She told me that her Grandpa gave her ten dollars and that she can't wait for her one hundredth birthday if she gets money for every birthday," Roxanne explained, laughing at her daughter's crazy theories.

Jesselynn just smiled with her, trying to act as if she understood, but she didn't. She had been there for her brother's, but she knew it must be different when it's your own child. She remembered her mother talking about how unbelievable it had been on Jesselynn's tenth birthday and how it seemed like yesterday she had been a small baby.

Their moment was interrupted when someone came in for Roxanne, asking for her assistance with something. Jesselynn sat there by herself, trying to think back on what had just happened before her seconds ago.

Roxanne had been through hard times and so had she. They had something to relate to. She remembered going through the same pain when her parents had died. The only two people she had cared about, before she was left with just her brother. Her parents had been her rock and she could always go to them when she needed them. It still hurt her to this day to think of them and the memories they had shared.

She had had a close relationship with her father like any little girl would have. She was always wanting to be with him and he was the one she'd always run to when her mother would get on to her or wouldn't let her have that cookie before dinner. She remembered how much her mother hated that, but Jesselynn still smiled to this day at it.

It was weird and different for Jesselynn to think about that and try to understand the ways of mothers; it had been hard for her to relate to Roxanne earlier about her daughter because she didn't know what she was supposed to say to that. Jesselynn knew that she most likely wouldn't be starting any kind of family anytime soon. She figured Justin would be the one to want that later on in his life. Matter of fact, she remembered hearing him speak about it once in his life.

She had no plans for a family, husband, or kids and honestly, she didn't want it. She was so used to worrying about her or Justin that it would be hard for her think about anything else. Like it was against her "programming". Hell, she figured she'd be awful with children anyway. She remembered working with children once and they just looked at her if she was some robot. She wasn't used to acting, what she thought, dumb and using the ridiculous voices or faces.

Besides, she figured she was far too busy to even think about that kind of thing. She had her career to think about now that Justin was a man and old enough to make his own decisions. Her nursing career was just beginning with this new step, why should she slack off now?

Surprisingly, her thoughts changed completely when she looked down at her arm and noticed a familiar mark she had received the night before she left Marcus. He was drunk and annoyed by her decision that he shoved her back which caused her to cut her forearm with the knife she had accidently left out before speaking with him. She had been able to clean and patch it up since it wasn't a major cut, but it left its mark on her.

She quickly pulled her sleeve down as someone barged into the room she continued to sit in, scared that someone would see her dreadful secret she wanted so desperately to hide.

"Jesselynn Thorne?" A man questioned, face partially lit up from the orange and red sunlight that was beaming down on his face. It wasn't a second later that she realized that those pair of blue eyes were very familiar.

"Yes?" She questioned, wondering what could have been wrong that this man of all people would be requesting her presence.

"Got a new recruit that came in early, wants to see you," Sergeant Woods said taking a step closer to her as she stood up from her seat, trying to hurry up with this errand.

Jesselynn wanted to question it more, but she decided not to once she figured it could be important and didn't want to make both Woods and whoever was requesting her wait.

He let her step through the door first before walking alongside of her, guiding her to the place the new recruit had been last and asked to meet the woman at.

Jesselynn remembered him as the man that annoyed and interested her then began to think of her rude behavior to him. She sighed knowing what she should do.

"Since I've been on a roll today with the apologies –don't ask-I must apologize for my bitchy behavior the other day. I don't know why I acted like that. Guess I was just nervous when it came to making a reputation for myself. Probably didn't make a very good one," She said looking forward ahead of her, glancing occasionally at the man beside her.

He just scoffed, "To be honest, no, you didn't, but I'll accept your apology. I know how that can be. Never wanna be known as the weakest link. Especially in this kind of situation," He said as he looked around him, finding the woman's green eyes searching his face for his expression.

"No shit," She said simply with a grin, seeing him return hers with a grin of his own. It didn't last long, but Jesselynn figured he had more important things on his mind. Couldn't blame him either. She was the worst person to have a conversation with.

"So, uh, I believe we didn't have a formal introduction. My name's Jesselynn Thorne. I'm one of the new surgeons in the infirmary," She said trying to fill in the awkward, silent moments she knew were bound to happen if she didn't say anything.

"Frank Woods – Sergeant," He said with his stern voice and grinned for a second, "Jesselynn, huh? Kind of mouthful. S'alright if I call you Jesse for short?" He said thinking about the unique name.

She just smiled, "Sure, my parents and brother called me Jess or Jesse all the time. Kind of nice hearing it again, to be honest," She said, immediately regretting how that sounded in her mind.

He just passed it off with a grin, "Well, I guess it was nice meeting you, formally, Jesse. Recruit's over there, waiting just for you," He said suddenly stopping, offering a proper handshake before pointing over to the tall man that was sitting, waiting as patiently as possible for the woman to appear in his sights.

Jesselynn shook his hand as she turned her head to look at the man that required her presence. Her heart dropped to her stomach and her eyes were wide as she felt a smile spread across her mouth. Those identical green eyes found hers and lit up with joy.

She looked back at Frank who was now walking away from her, returning to his previous duties. Jesselynn didn't care though; her brother was actually with her now. She looked around her for a second before she began to run over to the taller man who had stood up to meet the woman halfway.

Frank looked back to see the woman running towards the man, Justin and smirked. She had tried to remain calm just seconds before, but the moment she thought no one was watching her, she acting like a little kid running down the stairs on Christmas morning.

"Jesse…Hm," He just said to himself, seeing a whole new person from the unpleasant woman he had met days ago.

He liked this one better.

* * *

**Okay, so, here's chapter four. I don't really know what to say about it besides, it's done. I hope I didn't make Woods completely opposite of his normal awesomeness, but I definitely tried my hardest. If you guys have any tips for me when it comes to him, or anything, please let me know. It will definitely be appreciated and maybe even make the story better...Or good if it's not :P**

**Merry Christmas Eve (or just Merry Christmas, depending on where you live) and have a wonderful day! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and hopefully I'll start having more Woods & Jesselynn moments, but I'm trying not to rush a romance. I really want to delve into that and not just have, there was a man and woman involved in the army...Then they kissed, you know what I mean? Anyway, thanks for reading either way!**

**Anyone ready to meet Justin? Yes? No? Well, either way, you're fixing to! :D**


	5. Chapter 5: Reunions & Backstories

"Justin! Oh my God, what are you doing here?" Jesselynn said happily as her brother wrapped his long, strong arms around her back and swung in her in one circle. His usually shaggy brown hair was cut short and his green eyes, identical with hers, glimmered with happiness with the sight and feeling of his older sister in his arms.

"What do you mean what am I doing here? I was recruited! Same as you!" Justin said placing her on her own two feet, shaking her shoulders softly with a big smile on his face.

Jesselynn rolled her eyes at her little brother. Although, now she couldn't really say 'little' anymore. He shadowed over her easily and his strong form he had gained during his years of training had definitely showed that he was no longer that knuckle-headed, scrawny teenager she would always see him as. The only thing, to her, that was the same was those green eyes of his. Since birth until this moment now, he would always have those kind green eyes that never had a bad word against anyone. Well, almost anyone.

"You know what I meant, Justin. I'm so happy you're here. At least it'll save me the gray hairs and worrying now that we're at the same base," She said hugging him once again, burying her face into his chest. She had never realized how much she missed her sibling during their years of separation. She didn't care who saw her, she wanted to know one hundred percent that her baby brother was with her now; alive and well.

Justin was taken aback slightly by his sister's sudden action, but he didn't refuse. He had missed her dearly. He missed the way she was like his own over-protective mother, always wanting to know exactly where he was all the time and if he was perfectly healthy. He remembered thinking when he was a young teenager that she was trying to rule his life, but that was just a phase that passed before he enlisted. He had missed that about her, too. No matter how annoying she could be sometimes, she would always be his nagging, older sister.

Jesselynn eventually pulled herself away from her brother and took a step back, folding her arms around her chest with a grin as she looked up at him.

"So, tell me. What has been going in your life that you _can _tell me?" She asked as they continued to stand amongst each other, Jesselynn tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear while also blocking her face from the sudden cloud of dust that was kicked up by a nearby helicopter that was making it's departure.

Justin glanced at the helicopter as it began to disappear into the horizon before returning his gaze back to his sister.

"Well, the usual, I suppose. Nothing but training and going on small runs. My commander would volunteer me to the small missions that aren't really talked about to gain my experience on the field. This is my first real battle -Please don't throw one of your special 'Jesselynn's Older Sibling Rant' on me," He paused momentarily, knowing that she would be unnerved by this simple fact before continuing, "After some time, I was given the word that I was going to be deployed here in Vietnam. I thought about sending you a letter as a head's up, but I wanted it to be a surprise. Although, a minute later I heard I was going to be deployed a lot earlier than what was planned so even if I wanted to write something to you, it was going to be a surprise anyway. Oh, speaking of surprises," Justin continued, running a hand through whatever brown hair he had left when his eyes suddenly sparked with remembrance.

Jesselynn bit her lip to keep her from protesting against the fact that this was his first fight, but was overcome with curiosity when she began to see him try to maneuver a silver chain from his neck.

"Thought you'd like this back. It's brought me enough luck, figured you might need it in the days to come," He said slowly and carefully pulling the chain from his neck and forcing her hand to open as he curled her fingers around the object.

Jesselynn glanced at his waiting face then down at the object in her palm. She uncurled her fingers and was surprised with a familiar sight. She remembered she had given the locket to him the day he was first deployed, the day she remembered as the day she left her life for what felt like forever.

Her thumbnail traced over the oval-shaped locket with a soft grin. Their mother had given her the locket on her tenth birthday, some days before they had died. It was her greatest treasure and it had honestly hurt giving it to her brother, but she knew it was something he deserved to have in his possession.

She took in a soft, deep breath as she dug her fingernail under the clasp to see if the picture was still in place. She knew Justin would do everything in his power to take absolute care of her precious locket, but she needed her own reassurance as the soft click symbolized that she was able to see the picture once again.

It was a simple, small family picture on the right frame and small, neatly carved writing on the left. She remembered when they took the picture on the right. Justin was still a newborn, only two weeks old. Jesselynn could see her younger self staring back at her. She scoffed at her crooked teeth and her slightly frizzy hair. She was such a mess in picture. She had always been surprised that her mother would let her out in public knowing of her terrible appearance.

She saw her mother next, cradling baby Justin in her arms so lovingly and tender. The sides and front of her auburn hair was pulled back with a clip and her chocolate brown eyes twinkled with kindness. Jesselynn hadn't realized how much her appearance was beginning to match her mother's. She never bothered to really study her face in the mirror besides a simple check. But, she figured that was nothing new. Most daughters grow to resemble their mothers.

Her eyes then caught across to her father. Her grin stretched into a soft smile, a million memories coming to mind at the mere look of his face. He had kind green eyes that he had passed on to both her and Justin. She remembered how caring and thoughtful he could be, but how different he could be if the she ever disobeyed. She remembered his strict rules and his constant lessons and teachings of the right traits. Until the day he died, he made sure his daughter was kind, thoughtful, obedient, respectful, and many others. She may have broken some of his rules along the way of her growing, but she still remembered them to this day. She had tried so hard to be the same way with Justin. She felt like there could have been more improved that her father would have been wonderful with, but she knew she had tried her best. Besides, she felt as though she didn't have much to worry about the with young man before her. He was as great a man as their own father was and she was proud of him.

Jesselynn felt her throat began to tighten as she thought about how proud and happy their parents would be if they could see Justin today. She would like to think they would be. Most parents would of their child. She was a surgeon for the military, but what about her past? What lead her to this day? Would they be proud of deciding to live with a man she despised and then accept his engagement later on.

When her eyes began to burn with tears she knew were soon to appear, she chose to change the subject. She took in a quick deep breath and looked up at Justin who was beginning to worry about his sister's silence and saddened expression.

"They'd be so proud of you, Justin. They really would," She said giving him a forced grin and looked down at the locket once again, "But, I think you're wrong," She paused for a moment and lifted the chain and back to his neck with a smile, "I think you need this more than I do. Luck has kind of been on my side at the moment. Besides, like you said, this is your first real battle; you need all the luck you can get," She said repositioning the locket on his chest.

Justin tucked it back under his shirt like it had been before he took it off. Jesselynn grinned at the fact that he kind of hid them. She knew there was more to it than the reason he didn't want to be seen with a woman's golden locket. She just passed the thought and looked around her.

She could see Roxanne leaving the infirmary building, already looking at her and the young man in her presence. Jesselynn grinned and waved at her softly, Roxanne returning the gesture before turning and leaving. She figured she was going to try and turn in early. She couldn't blame her, must have been exhausted.

Jesselynn looked back at her brother and found that his gaze was still on the woman that was watching the two. She chuckled softly and smiled, folding her arms across her chest as she arched an eyebrow.

"Interested, baby brother?" She teased mockingly, forcing him to snap out of his trance.

"What? No...Jesus, Jess," He said quickly defending himself as he shook his head at his sister who continued to laugh.

She hadn't realized how long it had been since she had really laughed. Especially with her brother. It felt nice and different. A good difference though. She was more welcome to this kind of different.

"Well, she's a little bit older than you anyway. Not that that matters much, though. Mom was two years older than Dad," Jesselynn said as she began to walk with him, creeping slowly to her quarters to call it a night also.

Justin just rolled his eyes at her. He didn't feel like talking about his parents at the moment or women with his sister, so he quickly changed the subject, "So, since you've been interrogating me about what I've been doing, what's happened with you?" He asked, walking slowly with her. He knew he probably should have excused himself from her presence, but he hadn't seen her in years. He wanted to spend a little time with her before he had to go back his normal activities.

Jesselynn sighed, thinking over the years and exactly what she should say. In her mind, there wasn't much. Nothing exciting in any way, "Well, nothing really. Before I left, I broke off the engagement with Marcus, but that's nothing extraordinary. The only reason I was with him was you since he promised a future and college and things like that, so once you were deployed, I figured I didn't need him anymore," She paused for a moment as she looked up at her brother, searching for his expression. There was nothing but a soft smile stretching across his lips. She knew that he'd like to hear that.

"After that, things were pretty normal as they can be. I studied and practiced for what felt like forever before I was really sent to major bases. The woman you were gawking at is my friend Roxanne Fischer. I met her about a week ago. I was mean to her at first and just earlier today, I apologized after she told me about her husband and daughter-" She continued, skipping over to Roxanne and the present instead of going through years of surgeries.

"She's married?" Justin interrupted absent-mindedly, disappointed expression crossing his face.

Jesselynn bit her lip to keep from chuckling at her brother, "Thought you weren't interested," She said jokingly, nudging his side with her elbow teasingly.

Justin's face grew warm and his cheeks turned slightly pink before returning to their normal color, "Oh shut up, Jess. I was just...stating the obvious," He said trying to cover up his embarrassment and think of a good enough excuse to give her even though he knew she wouldn't let him live this down from now on.

She scoffed with a grin, "Well, Mr. 'Not-Interested', she _was_ married. Her husband was a soldier also, but he was shot and died on an operating table. She has a little girl named Sonora, also," She said still grinning at her brother. She loved how he had never changed from the same boy she would always see him as.

"That why she decided to take up this career? You know, a surgeon for the military?" He questioned, interested in this woman that had befriended his sister.

"Yeah, I think so. She felt like she had to be here, helping other soldiers live to see their families. Well, that's her hope. She's a good woman. I'd think you'd like her to and this time I mean as a friend," She said, quickly defending herself before he snapped at her.

Justin just grinned half-heartedly, "I guess if you say she's a good woman, it must be true. With you being 'Miss Judgmental' half the time," He said teasing her lightly, trying to get the topic from him and this woman, Roxanne.

Jesselynn gasped teasingly, "'Miss Judgmental'?" She questioned, faking a taken aback look.

He just smiled, "Yeah, you're awful about judging a person with just one look at them. If we weren't related you'd probably think I was some dumb kid who would die out there in two seconds," He said crossing his arms, arching a brow at her.

She let out a breath, "Okay, I won't lie, I would probably think that, but since you're my baby brother, I must say that you are strong and will survive," She said, patting his shoulder as she began to walk away from and walking towards the entrance of her quarters.

Justin just rolled his eyes at her and grinned when her words snapped together in his thoughts, "Wait! What do you mean you 'must say'? Shouldn't that be know? Or at least want?" He called out at her, nervous of her selection of words.

Jesselynn said nothing but turned her back to him and laughed. He was always putting more meaning into someone's words.

Justin was left standing there, his own questions echoing around them, as he watched Jesselynn disappear behind the door. He decided to just ignore his sister's words no matter how uncomfortable they might have been when he heard his name being called behind him.

"Thorne! Get your ass over here!"

He looked back to see his commander, Sergeant Woods, waving him over. Justin suddenly wished he was with Jesselynn again. He had enjoyed his time with her and didn't want to return to his normal military life so suddenly. He let out a breath realizing how ridiculous he sounded. He had signed up for this, why was he complaining? He didn't come here to have a family reunion anyway. That was just luck on his side.

"_Hm, maybe she was right," _He thought as he remembered Jesselynn's words about the locket. He knew he was definitely going to need it now more than ever.

* * *

Jessica continued to stare down at her feet as they slowly began to drag across the cement walkway. She had never really heard of stories of her uncle. She knew the basics about him, but that was mostly it. She didn't know why really, she just didn't talk about him. She hoped that there wasn't some fight that split them apart.

The three continued to walk along quietly, Jesselynn enjoying the sunlight against her skin as she walked a step ahead of Michael. Jessica couldn't help but think how humorous it was that the elderly woman was faster than the younger man beside her. She was surprised that Michael wasn't used to always being on his feet, especially with his situation.

Michael interrupted her train of thought with his own question, a smile following.

"So, your brother was interested in your friend?" He asked looking down at the elderly woman's still grinning face. Her expression showed that she was still stuck in the memory of her reunion with her brother so many years ago.

"He would never admit it, but yes, I definitely think he was. He had his crushes before, but there was something different about him when it came to Roxanne. Of course, he didn't let that completely change him or change his decisions when it came to the war, but he was a little different. I definitely never had seen him act like a gentleman so much when she was in his presence. There was one time, he was with one of his friends around the base talking and carrying on when Roxanne came to ask him something. I can't remember what it was now, but I still laugh thinking about what his reaction could have been like in person.

"She told me that they were leaning back against some crates and smoking, but when she approached them, she saw Justin rip out the cigarette from his friend's mouth and then his and stomped them out and sat straight up. He knew how she didn't like the smell of cigarette smoke and wasn't fond of being in its presence so he definitely took care of that. Now, if he hadn't taken his friend's, I figured that he was just being considerate, but knowing he did, I definitely feel like there was more behind his actions," She said smiling warmly at the memory of her brother and Roxanne.

"Did Roxanne ever show anything back?" Jessica piped in, curiosity getting the best of her. She told herself she wouldn't let herself get involved with memories and conversations that weren't solely about her mother and father, but she thought this was a nice change.

"I suppose, yes. I think at first Roxanne felt bad for even thinking about another man beside her husband, but I think she began to warm up to it. She asked about him some; made me tell her about some childhood memories involving him when we were trying so hard to fall asleep some nights. It helped her sleep better hearing about times that didn't involve tragedy or death. It pulled her mind away from her husband, for being in the base made her constantly think about him since he was soldier.

"She would sometimes make small comments on the side after the story. Things like 'Well, he certainly is an interesting man,' or, 'I wish I could know him more like that'. It was probably nothing, but I always wondered myself if she meant more on it," Jesselynn said trying to think of some logical reason that would imply returning feelings towards her brother, smiling at the fond memories along the way.

Michael glanced over at Jessica, sharing the same expression. They knew they were both straying away from the reason they were even there, but it was so nice to hear their mother speak to them once again, even if she thought of them as just strangers that were turning into possible friends. Jessica knew how it must have hurt Michael the most during this time. They had always shared a strong bond, ever since the moment he was born there was always something different about their mother; she remembered that much from her older sister's stories.

Michael looked down at his watch, halting in his steps momentarily. It was nearing three o'clock and he knew he had to be leaving soon. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and let out a sigh before turning to Jesselynn, making her halt for a moment in her walk.

"I really hate to leave suddenly, but I have to go. I need to go pick up Sierra," He said apologizing for his sudden need for departure, looking over at his sister on the second sentence.

Jessica nodded in understanding, "Okay, I'll stay here and keep Jesselynn company until visiting hours are over, if that's alright of course," She said turning to the woman on the last part, making sure Jesselynn didn't mind before she made plans.

"Of course, it's been a long time since I've had visitors. Besides, my walk is almost over anyway," She said reassuring the younger woman with a grin.

Michael nodded before hugging his sister, secretly looking for comfort in the fact that he had to leave his mother once again, he shook the woman's hand softly before disappearing before them.

Jessica sighed as the two stood there silently, already missing Michael's talkative presence. Jessica now realized that he was the only reason the conversation had continued because of his random questions. Why they were even happy at the moment when she began to speak of Justin and Roxanne.

Jesselynn began walking once again, Jessica suddenly catching up and appearing at her side as they continued on the walkway. It was silent between them for a moment before Jesselynn spoke up, staring straight ahead and glancing occasionally at the younger woman beside her.

"If I'm not intruding or being nosy, who is this Sierra? I'm guessing his daughter?" Jesselynn asked hoping to ignite a conversation between the two.

Jessica was a little surprised that she had spoken, but took a second to think over her answer, "Well, you're definitely not being nosy or intruding in any way. It's not really a secret. Sierra is...somewhat his daughter," Jessica said trying to find the best possible way to explain his situation.

"Somewhat?" Jesselynn pressed, curiosity coming over her at the word and the hesitant way she used it in her sentence.

"Well... Jeremy, does have children. Two be exact. A son named Lucas, who is the oldest, and Jenni, who is the youngest," She began, hesitating for a moment to keep her from accidentally using her brother's actual name.

"Lucas...I always liked the name. Jenni's a pretty name too," Jesselynn commentated, ignoring the way she paused when using his name.

"Yeah, so did his wife, Carol. She was diagnosed with breast cancer when the youngest, Jenni was just three years old. She then died when Jenni was twelve," Jessica began remembering the sad time in her brother's life. She had loved Carol like an actual sister, her heart was broken when she heard of her passing years ago.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. How old was the boy? It's terrible that they had to struggle through this with their mother at a young age," Jesselynn asked sympathetically, face and eyes immediately snapping over to the woman at the news.

"Lucas was five; they're only two years apart. Carol and Jeremy were actually planning on having at least one more child at the time, but their plans were obviously changed.

"Carol's death really changed them all. Jeremy pretty much went through a depression the first six or so months which hurt the kids also. Lucas grew distant from his father, but still tried to be strong and did everything he thought would have made his mother proud, but Jenni...She changed for the worst, the poor girl," She paused for a moment, feeling that familiar sadness for her niece, remembering Michael's sorrow-filled stories when she began acting out.

"She began acting out. Disobeying and being so disrespectful. When she was thirteen, she was caught skipping school and then she started picking fights with some of the other girls. Jeremy sat her down and tried to speak with her, but his words were falling on dead ears. She got worse and broke her father's heart more and more each day with every phone call. When she was fifteen, her friend's mother caught her and her friend smoking outside of their shed. Jeremy tried to set boundaries with her and punish her, but no matter what she'd find a loop hole out of it.

"I'm surprised Jeremy is still even with me considering what happened after that. When she was sixteen, almost seventeen, she met some boy named Jason. That's when she really began plummeting. I hate saying it, but she was beyond help then. He got her associated with drugs and the whole business. She dropped out of high school so she'd could be with him and his group 24/7. We never really heard about her that much until a police officer visited him one night. It had been years since he last seen or heard from his daughter, so it was a huge surprise.

"They, um, sat him down and began explaining why they were even there. Earlier that night, a neighbor heard some shooting going on in the apartment across from him, so he called the cops. Turns out that Jason and Jenni had been living together for years and Jenni wound up getting pregnant at one point. They were actually thinking about abortion, but they couldn't pay for it, Jenni just decided to keep the baby. So for about two or three years, that poor baby had to live with her parents. They were both alcoholics and addicted to drugs so there was no telling what had happened in that house. The police said that they were told that Jenni would sometimes leave the baby at home alone or just completely ignored her. Some said that, Jenni was beginning to be unable to really pay for her drugs so she let the dealers come in her home and do whatever they wanted to her. They think she would even do that with the baby watching; kicking and screaming. It's so horrible to think what that poor toddler had to put up with.

"Well, the officers began to tell him why they were even there to begin with. Turns out that Jason had actually tried to help the baby at one point which made Jenni made. She had already been so stressed from her withdrawals so that didn't help her any. Well, they got into this big fight and once Jenni had eventually fallen asleep, Jason kissed the baby good-bye and ran off with the money that Jenni was going to give her dealer that morning. So, when he did come by the next day to get his money, he didn't want Jenni this time. He had been tired of her stalling off from the real money and real payment, so when she couldn't find the money, he shot her. Clean through the brain. After he completely robbed the place of anything valuable, he was gone. It wasn't until hours later that the police finally arrived to an almost empty apartment and a screaming and crying toddler.

"They said they found her locked inside a dark room, nothing but a sippy-cup of water and stale cereal in a plastic-baggy. After a while, they began speaking to some of the neighbors, asking for any kind of family of Jenni's and one woman spoke of Jeremy. They went down to his house and after the story, they let him see the girl. Jeremy told me he broke down in tears when he first saw her. She couldn't walk, didn't know how to. She could speak some, but what she did say were small words. No one ever really bothered to really teach her so she had to learn through whatever she could. He also said she looked just like Jenni when she was at that age, which immediately he made his decision on.

"He asked them what her name was, but they replied saying that she actually didn't have an official name. She wasn't born in a hospital and her parents never took her to a doctor, but they did say that her father, Jason, was known to call her Sierra from time to time. No one knows why, he just did. So, ever since then, Jeremy took her in. Gave her an actual birth certificate, food, proper clothing, shelter, and most importantly, love. We were all surprised at how incredibly smart she was. She learned to walk pretty quick. All she needed really was just a little boost. Her speech became better, but she still has some struggle with some words to this day. Poor thing suffers with nightmares though. Says she keeps dreaming about some nights with her parents or the men her mother would bring in. She was living proof to some of the rumors that others spread around. The poor thing had no idea what it was at the time, but she says she has faint memories of being stuck in her crib, crying, while some strange man, as she had said it, took her mommy's clothes off. It's awful...

"Jeremy is wonderful with her though. She's a miracle for all of us in our family. You see her now and you never would have believed she came from such a background. She calls him Pappy. We don't really know why, he doesn't mind the term Grandpa, but ever since she was with him she called him Pappy," Jessica said, giving Jenni and Sierra's background to Jesselynn before her. Jesselynn grew a sadder expression with each sentence. She couldn't believe the horrible things this child had to go through. What she was forced to grow up in. It broke her heart even hearing about it. She couldn't imagine the pain that the man could have gone through. First losing his wife and then watching his children change and his daughter completely turn away from him and went to a life of pain and lies. Then he had to hear the news that his daughter let these men come in there and have sex with her, right in front of her young child, just so she could live another day for her drugs. She couldn't even describe the amount of pain his already-broken heart must have experienced at the news that his daughter was murdered and the news of his granddaughter's terrifying upbringing.

"That's so awful. What happened to his son? Did he change as well?" Jesselynn asked, pressing her hand against her chest as they began to sit down on one of the benches along the walk way.

"Not so much. He still loved his father and after Jenni went missing with Jason, he began to grow closer with Jeremy so he wouldn't be alone through this. Over the years, he graduated both high school and college and became a lawyer. He married a third-grade teacher named Julia Wentz. They were unable to have children so Julia just decided to not even think about children. She wanted them, yes, but she didn't want to adopt because she felt she would be reminded everyday how she failed as a woman to her husband. She was happy with her students though and they filled a void in her heart. Lucas also felt as though he'd be too busy with his job and didn't want his child, adopted or not, to always wonder if daddy was going to be home or not. Besides, by the time Sierra came, they had their hands full with her whenever Jeremy had to go away for a while because of business or had to work late. Like I said, Sierra was a blessing to all of us," Jessica said with a grin, proud of her nephew and the way he had grown. She knew Carol would have been so proud of the man he was today.

Jesselynn nodded in agreement, grinning slightly, "Well, it sounds like she certainly was. I'm glad there has been some happiness in his life. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for him when his life was turned completely upside down like that. I know what's like to turn away from that. When my parents died, my world completely changed. I always thought I had longer with them," Jesselynn said, remembering the night of her parents' death, with grin changing into a frown, along with the rest of her expression.

"What happened to them? How did they die, if it's alright to ask and if you're comfortable with saying so," Jessica asked, hoping not to sound as if she was trying to pry into the woman's personal thoughts.

Jesselynn sat there before a moment before she suddenly stood up, "I don't want to talk anymore, I'm going back to my room and taking a nap," She said as she turned and began walking away from her, not looking back once.

Jessica was surprised at this, but figured that she may have been asking too much of her. She sighed and sat back down on the bench, resting her weary face in her palms as a soft breeze began to tickle any skin that was showing. She felt so emotionally drained at the moment, but tears she had been holding back began slowly trickling down her cheeks.

She wished that she wasn't even here. Wasn't even in this situation. She wished she had her father and her mother once again. She wished she could just go back to their last home and find them there; her father in his chair and her mother making joking threats about, in her words, rolling his ass down a hill if he continued to tease her. She missed their playful banter so much. She remembered how her mother would stoop down to steal a kiss and how she and her brother Frankie would let out a chorus of 'ew' just to let them know how they felt about their displays of affection. She remembered Melanie, usually a teenager at the time, and how she would react, standing up out of her chair and either saying she was moving her meal or homework to another room or found it unfair that they could kiss while she wasn't even allowed to kiss her boyfriend, Benjamin, whenever he came to visit. Jessica smiled at that now, knowing that it was more of her father's rule on that. He just couldn't stand to see his oldest daughter with a boy. Especially one that loved to hold her close and kiss her. Jessica just continued to laugh at the thought. She remembered how he'd "accidentally" ran over the boy's foot once when he was giving her a kiss good-bye, not even near the door.

She remembered her mother scolding him for doing so and always taking her daughter's side when it came to Ben. Well, to some things. She agreed with her father when it came to the two being alone together. That was an immediate "crime".

Tears began to roll even more down her eyes when she thought about her mother and how she had been. Would she ever remember that? Would she remember the times she would sit her daughters down and brush their hair when they've had a bad day and just let them speak about their thoughts and feelings on the matter while she just listened. She missed those moments so much. Her mother knew exactly when her daughters just needed an ear. Not advice or a mouth for answers, just an ear. She missed how she would just sit there silently as she ran a brush softly and slowly through their hair, giving the occasional nod or mutter to let them know that she was definitely listening and understanding.

Her silent grief was interrupted by a vibration in her pocket. It wasn't until a second later that she realized it was her cellphone. She sighed and tried to recollect herself so she wouldn't sound so broken-up on the phone.

When she finally dug the cellphone from her pocket, she saw that it was her sister. The same woman she had just been thinking about. She wiped away a tear that had been hiding in the crease between her cheek and nostril as she answered the phone.

"Yeah?" She answered, knowing what she must have been calling for.

"How'd it go? She remember anything?" Melanie asked, immediately wanting to know of her mother's current condition.

Jessica sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, not ready to admit that their mother had no idea they were even her children, "She remembers...But, not us. She thinks of us as little children still. Little children she's just waiting to see. She was telling us about how she first left Michael's father and how she met Dad, some woman named Roxanne, and even our Uncle Justin. I tried to ask her about her parents, but she stood up and walked away. The way she spoke, it was like she was leaving a conversation with a stranger. I think she knew she was beginning to lose her memory again. I know that sounds ridiculous, but that's what I feel," Jessica informed her sister, letting her know of the memories of the day.

Melanie was silent on the other side of the phone as she sighed and let this information sink in. She could hear the sound of a child's giggling and even what could be the sound of a baby's cry. She figured one of her daughters', Melody or Krista, must have been over with their children. Probably visiting after a day of school.

"Well, I guess I should have expected as much. It would be asking too much to say that she was completely healed from this. How about Michael? Did he take it alright? I know it must've been hard on him," She said, her thoughts immediately turning to her younger brother brother.

"I think he did okay. He was the one who asked the most questions, really. He left a minute ago to go pick up Sierra. I imagine he'll call you and the others before I even think about it. I just know I want to get home and back to Roy before I explode into a million pieces right here," Jessica said wearily, wishing to be home at the moment and with her husband so she could forget about this day for at least a little while.

Melanie was quiet for a moment as she noticed the weariness in her sister's voice, "Are you alright, Jess? You don't sound good," She asked, concerned that this visit had taken the worst toll on her.

Jessica was hesitant with answering her as she stood up from the bench and began walking down the path she, Michael, and Jesselynn had been on moments ago. She wanted to say yes and that she was perfectly fine, but she couldn't lie to her sister, but she also didn't want to bring any unnecessary attention to herself. She sighed and cut off onto the grass, towards the sidewalk leading towards her vehicle.

"I'm fine, Mel. Don't worry about me, okay?" She paused for a moment, but didn't wait for her sister to answer her, "I have to go okay. I hate talking on the phone while driving. I'll talk to you later," She said quick enough so her sister couldn't get a word in. She heard her begin to say something, but Jessica just hung up and immediately turned her phone off.

She didn't feel like talking at the moment. She stood outside her vehicle, leaning against the car door with closed eyes staring up at the sky above her. She didn't realize how much this day had affected her until now. Talking about Michael as this "Jeremy" made her realize how hard it was that she would never know that she was talking about her granddaughter and her great-granddaughter. But, as she thought about it, maybe it was better in that sense. She was sad just hearing about it being someone else's back story, but what if she had known that it was her child's heart-breaking story? How would she have taken it then?

Jessica opened her eyes and opened her car door. She didn't want to think about it anymore today. She knew she was sure to break down if she were to continue thinking about it. She wanted so much to get back to her husband. He had a way of making her forget about everything with just being in his presence. She was craving to hear one of his cheesy jokes and cracks about things and his silly phrases. She needed that right now. She needed something normal.

As she started her way from the nursing home, she felt her heart grow heavier the farther she went. She knew that she couldn't back anymore today. Jesselynn was tired and her visiting hours were almost up anyway. She didn't want to disturb her or make the situation worse before it was even fully well.

She sighed as she forced herself to stare straight into the windshield. She didn't need to think about this anymore as she turned the radio on, letting the current song completely wipe her mind clean of her vicious thoughts as she made her departure.

* * *

**Holy Shittington! This chapter is nearly 7k words long! I wanted a longer chapter, but geez! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this massively insanely huge chapter and I hope you didn't get bored along the way!**

**Okay, so, I asked this question before on my Twitter account and now I will ask it again. First off, this is purely for fun and so you guys can partake in my fun as I write this story. I know it can be fun when you get these little creative questions. And what I mean is, I will ask you guys something and I want you to think of something from your imagination and tell me. If you don't wont to do it, that's cool. I totally understand. I understand that some don't want to be apart of my insane nerdiness :P**

**Okay, here's the first Creative Question: Why do you guys think this story is named "I Don't Hate You"? **

**Pretty easy, eh? Like I said before, if you don't want to do it or don't have anything. It's completely cool. I just thought it'd be something new :) **

**Anyway, thank you all for reading and sticking along through my ridiculous procrastination. I meant to post this earlier, but I will not lie, I am majorally lazy and don't want to sit down and write. But, I finally forced myself to write this and it took me about a little over two-three hours to do so. Maybe more, I dunno. **

**ANYWAY! Geesh, had some major ADD right there! Please review and tell me what you think of this and if you have a Creative Answer, please share! I'd love to hear your thoughts on my weird titles :D**

**Have a wonderful day and please come back! Don't leave me! (Sorry for that weirdness, I'm a little hyper tonight...)**


	6. Chapter 6: Guilty Memories

"What happened to your face?"

Jesselynn was snapped out of her studying trance when she heard her friend's voice cut through the silence and forced her attention from the thick book she had previously been reading.

Roxanne's had currently been practicing her stitching on an old doll that had been lying around the office when she noticed an old scar on Jesselynn's chin. It seemed somewhat deep, well had been. Maybe not dangerously deep, but had required stitching once in her lifetime.

Jesselynn placed two fingers against her jawline, for she knew what she was questioning about. She knew exactly what had happened, but wasn't sure if she was ready to go into full detail regarding the background of the previous wound.

"Uh, I got in a car accident once, when I was a little kid. Some glass went flying and a shard got my jaw. It was a major wound, but it was deep enough for stitches. I remembered it being the worst thing when I was a kid. I forget about it sometimes, actually. It's been there for so long it's like I was born with it." Jesselynn explained tracing the faint scar with her fingertips, remembering the night when it happened. It still haunted her.

Roxanne grinned half-heartedly at her while she tugged against the thread gently, "How old were you? You talk like you're such the old woman." Roxanne joked, teasing smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she looked up at her from under her eyelashes.

Jesselynn just rolled her eyes and chuckled, "It's 'cause I am! Age? Oh, I think I was about ten, if I remember right. My parents and I were coming home from an event at my school. I can't even remember what it was now." Jesselynn continued, her smile and chuckle becoming more forced than actual humor.

"What happened to your parents? I bet they're proud of you right now! I mean, you're a surgeon and a surgeon for the military at that!" Roxanne complimented, smile stretching across her mouth as she glanced up at her friend.

Jesselynn was silent for a moment. She never really had to explain that her parents were dead to someone before, because they either knew already or didn't even care to ask about it.

"Remember that car accident I just mentioned? They died in it." She said simply, staring down at the words in her book, just finding something to occupy her hesitant eyes.

Roxanne was silent for a moment as she paused in her work to look up at her, feeling guilty for pushing the subject more than she should have. She watched as Jesselynn avoided her eye and shot her eyes back down at the doll underneath her skilled hands.

"Oh...I'm so sorry." She said quietly as she began to finish her work, finding it harder to be in the same room now. That and she knew it was getting late and should go to bed before it was too late.

As Roxanne gathered her things and scurried out the door, Jesselynn felt tears roll down her eyes as she relived that day suddenly. She remembered being so happy that she was with both of her parents at the same time. Just them together. After Justin was born, the three didn't have very many times alone together like before. Most of their time was devoted to Justin or work. Of course, Jesselynn was important to them and they'd feel completely and wholly terrible if they made her think otherwise, but with a small toddler around the house kept them on their toes. Especially a little boy during his "terrible twos" phase and his habit of throwing things. Who knew that day would have ended in such disaster.

* * *

_February 10, 1944_

_Jefferson, Oregon_

_Jesselynn, Edward, and Alyssa Thorne_

"_Jesselynn Rose, if you don't get your little self out here, you're gonna get left behind!" Alyssa Thorne called out to her young daughter who was with a group of girls, conversing about the upcoming recital._

_Jesselynn swung her head in the direction of her mother's voice and moaned loudly, "Momma, do we have to go now?" She whined, enjoying her time away from the house and the chaos her baby brother seemed to be ensuing._

_Alyssa arched a brow and placed a hand on her hip, "No, we cannot. It's almost nine o'clock! It's about an hour past your bedtime," She said taking her daughter's hand when she finally trudged closer to her after waving farewell to her friends._

_Jesselynn just sighed loudly, but decided not to argue with her any longer. She had made that mistake once. She definitely knew now to never argue or fight with her or any adult. _

_Her usually wavy brown hair was curled delicately and pulled back in one tight ponytail with two, curled strands on each temple. She wore her best dress, which was a short-sleeved white dress with a red belt and matching shoes that reached nearly her knees. She loved the dress dearly, ever since she first saw it at the store and practically begged her mother to buy it for her. She ended up getting it as a present for her early birthday, which had been days before._

_She looked up from the ground to see her father waiting for them in his old truck, making Jesselynn smile a wide, joyous smile. Usually, just one of her parents would pick her up after practice, but tonight they were both there. It was her final rehearsal and she was so nervous about the upcoming recital, it calmed her nerves to see both her parents encouraging and supporting her._

_She slipped from her mother's strong, tender grasp and ran to his side of the cab, throwing herself in his arms the second she wrenched the door back._

"_Daddy! You actually came! I knew you would, you promised!" She said happily as he tried to pull her off of him and placing her in the seat beside him, still hugging her tightly by her small shoulders._

"_Of course! What kind of Daddy would I be if I lied to my favorite little girl in the whole wide world!" He said with a laugh, squishing her small frame up against his side as his mother climbed into the seat with a smile slowly stretching across her mouth._

_Jesselynn's brows creased in confusion, "But...I'm your _only_ little girl, Daddy," She responded confused._

_He said nothing but looked over at his wife who just rolled her green eyes and smiled. Jesselynn looked up at the two and grinned, thinking it strange that they always seemed to be talking, but never using words. Her Grandma said that some couples are just that way. They get so in love and they can just read each other's minds, really._

"_Momma, Daddy, when do you guys think I'll be like you?" She questioned, interrupting their "conversation"._

_Her father said nothing and let his wife reply, "What do you mean, sweetie?"_

_Jesselynn let out a breath, preparing for a long speech, if necessary, "Well...Grandma told me once that sometimes, when two right people meet, they fall so in love that they can read each other's minds. I was wondering when I'll find my person and I can read their mind. When I do, I want us to be just like you two, so I was wondering when I will be." She explained, adding emotion with her hands and facial expressions._

_Alyssa just laughed softly while her father, Edward, started the vehicle, "Well, if I have any say in this, it will be a _very _long time until you find this 'person'." He muttered, suddenly realizing his daughter's age, which was ten years, and how fast she seemed to be growing up. That or they need to watch their words more around the young, learning girl._

_Alyssa continued to chuckle softly as she wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulder and pulled her close to her side, "I don't want to hear anymore of this 'right person' business, but when you are older, you will definitely know when you meet him. There's a certain feeling you get that, some days, makes you want to hug 'em or just put 'em in a headlock." Her mother said with a grin, rubbing her shoulder as she tried to give some "motherly advice"._

_Jesselynn giggled as she looked up at her mother's face, which was now lighted dimly by the lights outside their vehicle, "And what was Daddy? Hug or headlock?" She asked curiously with a smile._

_Alyssa smiled a wry smile and looked over at her husband who was concentrating on the road ahead of them and bent down to where her lips were equal with her ear._

"_Definitely a headlock." She said quietly and gave her wink which made a chorus of giggles erupt from the girl's mouth._

_It was silent amongst them for a while as Jesselynn continued to giggle, making her parents grin in return. It had been a long time since the three of them had really had time to just enjoy each other's presence in nearly two years. Ever since the news of Alyssa's pregnancy with Justin, things had been very different in the family of three's life._

"_I'm glad Daddy and you picked me up this time. I love my bubba, but he can be annoying and very hoggy with you two!" She said crossing her arms against her chest while her mother just stroked her curly hair lovingly._

_She just smiled, "That's just how it is with new babies, Jess. When you first came, your Daddy and I barely got to spend any real time either until you turned five and went to school. They take a lot of time and attention from everything and sometimes, even everyone. But, trust me, in a couple of years Justin will be able to go to school also and we'll all be able to spend time together," Alyssa explained, encouraging her daughter that the toddler days were soon over and paused, hesitant of what she should say next and if she should really say it, when she made up her mind, her voice was quiet, "all five of us."_

_That caught Edward's attention and his focus went from the road to his wife's face, "What the hell do you mean all five of us?" He questioned, brows furrowed in complete confusion and worry._

"_Swear, Daddy." Jesselynn interrupted, tapping his elbow._

_He ignored her and waited for his wife's response._

_Alyssa sighed, wishing she hadn't said anything, at least for now, "While Jesse was at rehearsal, you were still working in the barn with your Dad, and your Mom had Justin, I went to the doctor's. I was worried about some things and I knew that I couldn't just hold it off any longer and well...Turns out there's going to be a third Thorne child in our little family." She explained in a soft voice, almost as if Jesselynn wasn't in the middle of their argument._

_Jesselynn paid no attention to them because her focus was elsewhere on the road. Jesselynn could spot a tan animal far off down the road and wondered what it was. When she saw it approach the road, her eyes jumped from the animal, which she could now see was clearly a deer, to her father beside her, who was still focused on his wife beside her. He exchanged the occasional glance, but didn't really even try to focus on the road, which made Jesselynn's heart begin to race._

"_Daddy?" She questioned quietly, interrupting her parents conversation as she tugged on his sleeve again, trying to gain his attention._

"_Not now, Jess. Your mother and I are trying to figure things out." He said never moving an eye from Alyssa in front of him._

_Jesselynn sit back in the seat, knowing her father must have been angered now by the harsh tone in his voice. Maybe, he'd catch the deer or the little animal would just be smart for once and stay in the ditch where Jesselynn knew they'd all be safe, but her beating heart only encouraged her fear even more as they were approached the turn where the deer roamed around the edge of the grass, now hearing the old truck and seeing it's headlights._

_Jesselynn bit her lip as she watched her father turn his head and then he spotted the deer, but it was almost too late. Alyssa sucked in a deep gasp while Edward panicked and meant to hit the brakes, but only missing and tapping the gas._

_That's where Jesselynn figured it was her turn to try something new, in hopes of saving her parents, herself, and the innocent deer caught in the middle of Edward's ignorant, unsafe driving. _

"_Daddy! Don't hit the deer!" She screeched as she crawled across his lap slightly, gripping onto the wide wheel with fear in her voice._

"_Jesselynn, no!" Alyssa screamed as she tried to yank the small girl from the steering wheel, already knowing it was too late for anyone to do something._

_All Jesselynn could remember about the rest was seeing her father's face as he turned to her, capturing the terror on her face for the very last time. He glanced up at Alyssa as she clutched onto their daughter tightly, he went to reach out for them, but was immediately stopped when he felt their tires give out and just let the rest of the vehicle do whatever the road intended. This meant that they had flipped at least once, smashing into a nearby tree that threw all three of them; smashing Alyssa's head against the glass and Edward feeling something punching into the skin of his neck, falling fast asleep forever in seconds._

_When Jesselynn finally woke up hours later, she could hear the sound of frantic voices trying to communicate with her or whoever they hoped and prayed were still alive in the shattered remains of her father's old, treasured truck. She could still feel her mother's arms around her waist, but they were limp and lifeless as she stared down at them._

_Her head pounded and she couldn't feel her left leg from the knee down. She looked down with blurry, smeared vision to discover that the truck door was bent and shoved her leg against it. Her heart began to race again, remembering everything that had happened and feeling the terror and panic well up inside of her once again._

_She looked up to her mother to see her green eyes frozen in terror, but what horrified her and made sob-filled gasps appear was the sight of a large shard of glass sticking out from her right temple, streams of now dried blood all over her arm, clothes, almost all of Jesselynn's body, and some of the nearby window pieces and car door. _

_Jesselynn's small form began to shake as she tried to crawl away from the horror, but cried out when the door tapped her left and glass shifted and poked all around her. The frantic voices got louder and she could hear someone trying to find the owner of the small, terrified voice._

_At that same time, Jesselynn spotted her father's figure and tears filled her eyes as still-present sobs shook her body along with the fear. From his neck down, his cold blood stained everything around him. His fingers and hands from where he must have tried to pry the dismembered tree branch from his neck was covered in blood and his left hand remained at his collarbone, eyes closed as whatever was left of his body was slumped over, as much as he could around the branch that came from his window._

_The one who saved her had to maneuver her small, fragile frame from the smashed car door and the tree branch that killed her father as she was finally lifted from the shattered windshield, that had been blocked by fallen tree branches and other things that the truck had tossed up on their way down the hill._

_The last thing Jesselynn remembered was the terrifying realization that her parents were dead and she was alone before she let out one final cry of sheer, utter pain before going unconscious._

* * *

As the elderly Jesselynn sat on the edge of her soft bed, she couldn't help but let a single tear slip from her tired eyelids. The memory of that night was just as strong as it was the night it happened. Her young mind hadn't been able to grasp the fact that she would no longer live a happy life with her parents, brother, and grandparents. Her grandmother had passed away some months after the accident from a sudden heart attack and her grandfather could barely take care of himself let alone a toddler and a small girl.

Jesselynn had been alone since such a young age. It still broke her heart now to think of her mother's last words, the discovery of her pregnancy.

Even now in her old age, Jesselynn couldn't help but wonder how things would have been if she had never had touched that steering wheel. Maybe they would have just had bad damage to the car. Maybe in about nine months time she and Justin would have been welcoming a little brother or sister into this world... Maybe she wouldn't feel this life-long guilt that completely ate her soul and heart each and every second of the day.

She sighed and grabbed the photo album by her bed, hoping to drown out those terrible memories with something different and hopefully happy.

The first thing she realized was it was a baby album. It was for her youngest boy, Frank Jr. who soon gained the nickname Frankie J. There was a picture of him lying on a small hospital crib and underneath was the words, "Baby's First Six Years".

She flipped the pages with a smile and saw her newborn boy in her husband's arms, surrounded by their little "army" of children who had crawled around to see the new addition to their large family. Jesselynn still remarked at the remarkable appearance of the two. Jesselynn really didn't know what Frank looked like at the same age as Frankie, but she knew as he grew, he was almost an exact replica of his father. Yes, like almost all of her children, he had her light green eyes, but everything else originated from Frank. His looks, facial expression, mannerisms, style of speech, even the posture sometimes were exactly alike.

It also hurt to see the photo album before her, for she knew her small children still hadn't been able to visit her. She missed them all so much, but she wondered if they even wanted to see her anymore. She knew she was sick, but why wouldn't they come and give her support? Where was her beloved Frank, Melanie, Michael, Jessica, Frankie, Samantha, and Sammy when she needed and desired them most?

Her heart ached and she closed to album, deciding to try another nap as she slowly laid back against the mattress, letting out a deep breath as she stared at the wall in front of her.

She knew it was still early, but she was so ready to call this day a night and wrap it up. As she closed her eyes, she hoped and prayed -like she did every night- that tomorrow was the day her family was going to come and take her home and far away from this stupid facility.

* * *

**Yeah, sorry this took completely forever to finally make! I got really busy this weekend and I was going to update yesterday, but I went to the doctor's yesterday and learned that I'll most likely have to start taking blood pressure pills soon so I was freaking out about that (not the best way to handle that situation, might I add)**

**Okay, let's see if I can give you a creative question, hmmm...**

**Creative Question: Why do you guys think Jesselynn seems to be so fond of Roxanne? Yes, they are close friends now, but Jesselynn is slowly realizing that she thinks of her like a sister? Could this be some kind of guilt-war she's having? Like, seeing Roxanne as the younger unborn/deceased sibling from the memory? Let me know what you guys think of, please!**

**Okay, I guess I really don't have much to say besides, thank you so much for reading and sticking with me! It means so much to me, you have no idea!**

**Oh, also, soon, I shall be getting to the chapters relating to Call of Duty: Black Ops. So, yes, this story will play through that storyline, but you will read it through Jesselynn's eyes. So, basically, I'm going to try my best to not rush into the missions and roam around the "behind the scenes" (if you will) and try my complete hardest to not turn Jesselynn into a Mary-Sue!**

**Which, by the way, if you guys have any kind of hints or tips or advice of whatever! Please, let me know in either a review or message or something. I would be so happy to hear from you guys and it would definitely be very, very, VERY appreciated!**

**Once again, thank you millions for sticking with me and sorry if the story is seeming slow!**


	7. Chapter 7: What's Eating Sierra O'Shea?

"Sierra O'Shea!"

Michael watched the small, blond little girl stand up from her seat in line with the rest of her class as her name was called by the teacher supervising the children who rode home by parents. She had been sitting by herself, quietly, as the others around her giggled and chatted amongst themselves loudly. Seeing this unnerved Michael slightly, for she was usually quite the chatter-box whenever he came to pick her up after school.

She seemed to be different, though he knew she looked completely the same as she did when he dropped her off that morning. She still wore her favorite purple butterfly sleeveless top, her old, dark denim jeans, and purple sandals. Her hair was somewhat messy, but it was still in the two separate braids -which was the only hairstyle he had mastered, to her dismay- that she kept over her shoulders. Besides the basics, she was her normal self, but he could tell just by her face that something was troubling her. He watched her throw her backpack over her shoulder as she ran out to meet him, slowing down to a walk when she neared the teacher that advised her to slow down.

Michael crossed his arms as he stood on the sidewalk, car parked away from the line of cars waiting impatiently to pick up their children. It was a Friday afternoon and Michael always made an effort to take Sierra to an old-fashioned diner and eat ice-cream or whatever they desired like he did before with Jenni and Lucas. He loved the diner because it reminded him so much of the one he practically grew up in for almost half of his life. He remembered playing or doing homework in the back of the diner that the owners, Martha and Walter, added onto when they took his mother, who was pregnant at the time, and his older sister in when they had nowhere else to go. They became family; he still refers to them, in his thoughts, as Nana Martha and Papa Walter.

He remembered telling Lucas and Jenni humorous stories about his days in the diner, family memories, and, to Jenni's delight, how he had met their mother, Carol, years before in that very same diner. He would chuckle at fond memories of his mother and Martha teasing him of the very noticeable crush he had that he had tried to deny, since he was only twelve years old and found it completely embarrassing that they even spoke of it. Lucas always growled and wished for more stories about his grandparents or about how he and his Aunt Melanie made Jessica's first five years as the youngest sibling unbearable than some "girly" story about his parents' romance.

"Hey, Pappy," She greeted under her breath as she approached her grandfather, taking his hand like she always did; she knew exactly where they were going and didn't bother question it.

Michael's grin faded softly, but placed his hands under her arms and picked her up to his hip. She was remotely surprised, but placed shook it off and placed her arms around his neck, tucking her blonde head on his collarbone.

"Hey, short stuff, what's wrong?" He said after he gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and began walking down the sidewalk since he already parked his car in the diner parking lot, which was a block away from the school.

She just sighed and looked up at him under her eyelashes, "Nothing, Pappy. Just a long, long day." she said, hoping he would believe her lie.

He didn't, but decided once they were alone and their usual weekend would commence, she would be back to her same old self. Who knows, maybe it was just a long day at school? He definitely knew how she felt. After the day he had with Jessica and Jesselynn, he was ready for something normal with his Sierra.

When they were at the diner, the waitress, who was Sierra's favorite, smiled and waved at the two. The woman had grown fond of seeing the two enter the diner every Friday afternoon that if they were ever late or didn't make it, she would grow wary and wonder if they were alright or if something could have happened to them.

They sat down, Sierra sitting on her knees like she always had to do so she could reach over the table and tossed her backpack under the table; Sierra's favorite waitress, whose name was Dawn, didn't even bother bringing her notepad out of her pocket when she approached the two.

"Lemme guess; the usual?" She said with a smile, tapping the pen she already had in her hand to her chin.

Michael smiled and gave her a nod while he turned to Sierra who had her elbow against the table, hand cupping her cheek while she played with the packets of salt and sugar, bored expression on her face.

Both Dawn and Michael exchanged a glance and she went on her way. Yes, there was something upsetting the girl and whatever it was really affecting her behavior.

"What's wrong, Sierra? Are you feeling okay?" He questioned, reaching out to check her forehead though she moved away from him.

"No, pappy, I'm not sick! I'm just...thinking is all." She said, swatting his hand away while she repositioned herself and pressed her back against the wall as she stretched her little legs across the rest of the seat.

"Sick, maybe not, but there's something upsetting you. What are ya thinking about?" He questioned, determined to get inside the little girl's mind.

She was quiet for a moment, trying her best to seem like she simply didn't hear him by looking around the diner and tapped her fingers to the music that she could barely hear over the diner staff and the other customers. She thought it funny that they were rather busy; normally, it would be her and Michael and a couple of small groups. Almost every other table was full.

"Will you tell me about my Momma, please?" She asked, looking over at him to find that he was still staring at her.

His eyes widened slightly, surprised that she brought up the topic. She never really spoke of her mother or never showed in any interest in her until now. The only time she mentioned her was the night she was first given to Michael when she answered their questions.

"Well, what do you want to know, sweetie?" He questioned, unsure of what to really say to her. He wanted her to think of Jenni as a kind and innocent soul, but it would be a huge lie to say she was, in all honesty. That and Sierra would know it wasn't true. After the terrible stories she told him about her and they she treated her.

"What was she like at my age? When she was little, too?" She asked after Dawn placed their drinks at the table and walked away as she played with the paper covering the straw.

Michael took a drink from his, allowing the moment to think of something to tell her. He couldn't remember exactly if that was the time she changed or before, but he knew there was something he could tell her of what Jenni was like before Carol's death.

"Well, like I told you a long while back, I used to take Jenni and your Uncle Lucas here every Friday after school. Just like you, she absolutely loved it. Your grandmother, Carol, used to take Jenni around to the park when she was just a tiny little girl while Lucas and I would sit and eat to our heart's content. They had the most amazing apple pie that I could just never say no too, and neither could Lucas. I don't really know much of Carol and Jenni's adventures to the park, but I know we'd always met again with the two just smiling and laughing. Your mother, she was pretty much in love with your grandmother.

"Also, when Carol would be home resting or at the doctor's, I'd sit hear with Jenni and Lucas and tell them all sorts of stories. Mostly, they were about family, like about my brothers and sisters and my parents. Lucas always got a kick out of my step-father's war stories that he used to tell me and my siblings when we were little. Jenni not so much, she much preferred hearing how Carol and I met or happy memories with some family friends.

"You're a lot like her, you know? Jenni always ordered the same thing over and over again. She became good pals with one of the waitresses too. If things had been different, I'm sure it'd be you and Jenni sitting here talking while I was home sleeping in my old recliner!" He joked, giving her a wink while she grinned, taking a long drink of her soda.

She played with her straw while she thought over the things Michael told her. She wished dearly that things _had_ been different. She wished she had her Momma and Daddy and a Nanny to match her Pappy. Maybe her Momma would've liked her better and loved her. Maybe her Daddy would have stayed and watched over her instead of leaving her behind while he escaped into the darkness. All she could remember of that night was Jason coming into where Jenni had left her that night and kissing her forehead, apologizing for what was happening in their lives and what would happen. She didn't understand what he meant and still didn't, but she wished he was still here with her.

She always quite fond of him. He was nicer than Jenni. Yes, he'd yell at Jenni and do some things in front of her, but he never threatened her, hurt her, or told her how worthless she was. She knew she was, as her Momma had said, but she couldn't have taken it if her Daddy had said so. She remembered the one time he took her outside and far away from the awful place that she had called home. She remembered being taken to a house that smelled of air freshener and was held by strong arms and kissed and cooed by a loving face. It was definitely a nicer welcome than she would have expected had she been at home. She would've smelt the strong scent of alcohol and God knows what and heard screaming and the familiar words "Shut up" whenever she tried to tell Jenni she was hungry or tired.

When her Daddy was home, he would feed her. Sometimes he would be drunk or high and completely ignore her like Jenni did, but at least he didn't do it 24/7.

"Do you remember my Daddy, Pappy?" She then asked, kicking her feet underneath the table and placed her elbows on the table as if she was quizzing him on some game show he'd watch on weekday afternoons.

He was quiet before answering, definitely thinking over that question and giving it complete thought, "Well, sort of. I remember you two having the same nose and color of eyes. I don't remember much about _him_ exactly, just basically what he looked like." He answered, hoping to avoid that conversation. He knew more about the young man, but didn't want to bring up such things in front of her, even though he knew she had been raised up in it.

She just nodded as Dawn came back, placing their plates in front of them while she turned over to Sierra who carefully poked at the French fry that was trying to escape her plate.

"So, Sierra, my favorite little customer, how was school today?" She asked crossing her arms for a moment though she knew she had to get back to work.

Sierra just shrugged, "Same old, same old. The only thing exciting was my friend Marcey flinging an apple slice at the back of Jimmy's head. It was funny." She said with a giggle, recollecting Jimmy's mad and surprised expression.

"Sounds like Mischief Marcey struck again, huh?" Dawn joked, smiling with the young girl.

Sierra just nodded and waved good-bye when Dawn said she had to get back to work before one of the other staff members blew a gasket, but Sierra really didn't understand what she meant by that. Dawn was always using weird phrases.

"Mischief Marcey? Isn't that the girl that pushed you into the bus window at the beginning of the school year?" He asked, now worried that Sierra befriending the wrong kids.

"Yeah, but don't worry Pappy. She turned a new branch or something like that." She said already delving into her chicken strips and French fries.

Michael smiled, "I think leaf is what you're looking for, Sierra." He said after he took a bite out of his burger.

"Branch, leaf; they're both part of a tree anyway!" She shrugged, not caring of her mistake with the phrase.

Michael just chuckled at her as he watched her pull apart a chicken strip, pretending that she was pulling apart the actual chicken. She made awkward little squawks as if it could scream, and tried to mumble some words as she chewed it.

He just shook his head at her. At least she was actual like the normal, strange little girl he knew and loved.

* * *

"_Daddy! Momma!"_

_Little Jessica ran along the trail behind Martha and Walter's diner, hearing the scream that she knew came from that direction, back at the diner. She couldn't tell if it was her mother's or Melanie's, but someone sounded like they were in trouble._

_She knew that her father was leaving once again and that they told Melanie, Michael, and herself to busy themselves with other things while Jesselynn and Frank dealt with other things that Jessica had no idea about. She figured they were just talking about some business stuff and wanted to be far away from that. It was always boring anyways, but now the scream alarmed her._

_She couldn't find Michael or Melanie anywhere though she could have sworn she just saw the two talking outside just seconds ago. Matter of fact, where was Walter's old car that always sat in the back of the diner because Martha thought it was just too ugly to be in the public's eye._

_Jessica could feel the low, thin bush branches slap across her legs as she ran past them. She also remembered that they were the same branches that Martha would use as little switches if her or any of her siblings completely and terribly disobeyed her while their mother was gone. She'd give them one little swat across the shin and that was all it took. Martha never did so to really hurt the children, which was why she never had it in her to really go past one swipe. She just wanted to show that if they did the complete opposite of what she instructed them to do and deliberately tried to cause trouble, there would be consequences. Jessica always thought that it definitely worked. She only ever had two swipes in her lifetime. The other times it was just time-outs or the taking away of some object. _

_Jessica pushed her way out of the little woods and sprinted towards the direction of the back entrance of the diner that she and her older siblings had just escaped out of. She could see from the corner of her eye that all the cars that had been parked outside the diner had suddenly vanished from sight. Her heartbeat began to pick up as she hurled herself into the door, expecting to see the busy kitchen that Walter always supervised._

_She saw absolutely nobody. The kitchen was completely bare and empty and was left as though it had never been touched that morning. This began to worry her and she was beginning to feel the fear well up in her chest._

"_Momma! Daddy!"_

_She called again, praying that she would see their faces soon as she ran through the kitchen, aiming towards the doors that lead to the actual diner. She tripped on the recently waxed floor and quickly moved her foot before it could be smashed by the double doors as they began to close themselves. Tears had already appeared in her eyes because of the trip and the fear and she expected her mother to come running up to her and taking her in her arms, but she felt no such welcome as she sat there, crying on the floor._

_She looked up to see the tables and chairs all stacked up and boxes lying around everywhere. Her mother, father, siblings, Martha, and Walter were all leaving! Well, from the looks of it, gone! Did they notice she was still at the diner? _

_Jessica's tears turned into sobs as she stumbled, trying to stand upright again and immediately ran towards the exit, hoping that was where she would return with her family and fear would be debunked._

_She could see that a sign reading, 'Closed' was placed on the door and she could see a couple of vehicles pulling out of the parking lot already. Had her father left earlier than he said he would? If so, why didn't he tell her? Did he even care about her anymore?_

_Her vision was beginning to blur from the tears as she threw herself outside, praying that someone, anyone, was outside with her, though by now she knew she was completely wrong and shouldn't be praying for such foolish things._

_As she wiped away the tears from her eyes so she could actually see, she found that she was once again, alone. There were no cars or nobody to be seen for miles. She tried calling out for her family once again, but she never heard any return. She fell down onto the cement, not caring anymore that it hurt. The pain she was feeling in her heart hurt worse than any physical pain could._

_Her mother and father were gone; they left her. She was alone._

Jessica gasped loudly as she was awaken by her dream so suddenly, her heart racing and sweat glued to the side of her face. It took her a moment to collect all that had happened and realized it was just a dream.

She gathered her knees up to her chest and pressed her cheek against her knee, looking over to see her husband, who was still loudly snoring beside her. She grinned softly seeing his shaggy, dark brown hair in such a messy fashion and softly stroked a piece from his face. The warm, brown eyes that she loved so dearly were hidden from view behind his heavy eyelids as he turned to face her, not knowing that she had just awaken from such a terrible dream.

She looked down at the foot of her bed, seeing her laptop still on from the previous night. She then remembered that she had been emailing her younger sister, Samantha, when she had fallen asleep during the movie that her husband had insisted they watch together. She, obviously, didn't meet the end of her bargain and fell asleep about ten minutes in.

She re-read the messages Samantha had given her and grinned. She and her husband were currently vacationing in Paris for the next two weeks and she just had to brag to her big sister about it. She knew how much Jessica had desired to visit the city some time, but was never able to. She loved seeing her sister's happy pictures and reading her messages with a smile. She was always that happy, joking girl that she thought was so annoying when she was a teenager.

Jessica sighed as she thought back to the dream. She couldn't get that last thought out of her mind. She was alone.

That's definitely how she felt now. Her father so far away from her, her mother losing her mind, her sisters busying themselves in other things, her husband so busy with work, and just spending the days alone in her big old house. She hated how complicated everything was getting in her life. Her older sister, Melanie, had been going through major changes in her life, dealing with her daughter's struggles as well. She never had time to really visit anymore, which didn't make Jessica feel any better.

Samuel taught an art class in a local high-school and stopped by every now and then when he could. She tried to get him into visiting their mother, but he wasn't sure if he could handle the situation so strongly as she and Michael were. She honestly couldn't blame him; it was hard acting as if you never existed in someone else's eyes no matter how much you just wanted to scream. That and Samuel and Samantha were the most oblivious to their parents' past and what went on. They were the youngest after all.

Frankie, of course, was unable to visit at all. He was a Corporal in the Army and was still serving though it seemed like he had been away from them for centuries. It broke Jesselynn's heart to see him go away, but she was also proud of him. Jessica, now, figured that a lot of it had to with her memory of Justin and the day he left. She always worried way more than she ever needed to.

As Jessica thought over all this, she realized why it hurt so much. She was straying far off from what she even decided to question her mother about in the first place. She wanted answers to what happened when she was a little girl and why so many things changed when her father came home to them in a wheelchair and with a boy he and Jesselynn had decided to take in.

To get to that, she needed to get to the point when things started to turn south and what lead to it. She needed to start asking her about 1968 and those months when their drama even started.

She once more as she threw her legs over the side of the bed and decided that she should start getting ready for her day that she knew was just going to be busy. She still had to call and check up on Michael since he would most likely be accompanied by Sierra during this next visit since Lucas and Julia were going away for the weekend.

She stretched as she immediately grabbed her cell phone and reached over to turn off her laptop. Before she left the room, she placed a gentle kiss on Roy's forehead, chuckling softly when he grunted and rolled over, stuffing the pillow over his face.

* * *

**Sorry if it was kind of a boring chapter, I hope it wasn't too lousy. I'm quite proud of how it turned out, though it may be a little short. So, I guess this is the first time we really get to "meet" Sierra O'Shea and take a peek into her little mind. Quite sad, isn't it?**

**Creative Question: What if things had been different in little Sierra's life? What do you think would go on for her and who would be in it? Can't wait to hear your amazing responses (Yes, I know they will be. I love seeing your responses, they fill me with joy! :D)**

**Hmm, I guess that's all I really have to say tonight. I'm exhausted and it's way past my bedtime. Well, when I _should_ be in bed lol. I'm laying in bed, if that counts for anything...**

**Anyway, thank you guys so very, very, VERY much for reading! I really do mean that I appreciate it, not just saying it because I think I should! I love you all! MWAH!**


	8. Chapter 8: More Than a Warhorse

So…She was your Momma once?" Sierra questioned unsure as she clutched her grandfather's hand while they crossed the street where they were supposed to meet Jessica.

"No, she's still my Momma. She's just…sick and doesn't remember anymore." He said unsure of how to explain to such a young mind that seemed to be full of questions this afternoon.

Sierra furrowed her brows, still far off from fully understanding this whole situation. She knew she had to go with him this time because Lucas and Julia would be gone and there was no one else to watch her for him while he visited Jesselynn. She still thought it was unfair that she couldn't really talk with her great-grandmother.

"So, is that why Aunt Jessica said to call you Jeremy, Pappy?" She asked as Michael pulled her closer to his side as they walked along the sidewalk, worried of any oncoming cars. He always wondered if the drivers around this particular neighborhood were NASCAR rejects.

"Yes, but don't worry. You can still call me Pappy. Your aunt Jessica and I use fake names so we don't alarm Jesselynn. Like I said, she's sick and still thinks my brothers and sisters and I are little kids. If we were to say our names, she would notice and she would start panicking. We don't want that to happen so we just use different names and pretend we're someone else." He said, trying to explain it to where she would understand it further, but not making it so complicated.

"Oh. Does her sickness do that to her? Why is she sick?" She asked, staring up at him with bright blue eyes that displayed a million questions just looking for answers.

Michael sighed as he thought over his answer. How was he supposed to explain that to her? Would she even understand the complication of losing your memory? He knew she probably thought it was just a joke now since he and Julia usually referred to it whenever they forget something so easily. Would she understand that it's an actual thing and not laugh at when referred seriously?

"Well, you see, some odd years back, my mother, Jesselynn, started acting differently. She would walk around in search of something that she lost years ago. One time, she was looking for a doll that my youngest sister, Samantha, lost when she was younger than you are. Samantha was already moved out of the house and married at this time. She said that she was trying to find it for Samantha before she got home from visiting Martha and Walter so she'd stop crying over it constantly. We tried to tell her that Samantha was a grown woman now and didn't need that old doll that was probably deep down at the bottom of an old dump pile. She didn't believe us and walked away, muttering something.

"But that's what this illness does to older people. They start to lose their memory of everything. They may remember bits and pieces every now and then, but they usually just slowly lose who they really are. That's why Jessica and I are visiting Jesselynn every day we can. We know she may never really be the same again, but we want to know all that's still in her mind. All her fond memories and honestly some of her worst. We don't want to lose the real Jesselynn." Michael said, hoping Sierra would understand now and why it was so important for him to be here.

"Oh. Okay." Sierra said, understanding what he meant now. She stared down at the ground she was walking on as she thought about how sad that must have been. Her great-grandmother sounded like a very interesting woman to Sierra. Michael spoke of her so fondly and she wanted to know of the woman that took care of her Pappy like Pappy was taking care of her.

As they began to walk along the parking lot of the retirement home, Sierra immediately spotted her Aunt Jessica as she waited for them outside her vehicle. She managed to slip her hand from Michael's hand and sprinted after her with a smile.

"Aunt Jessica!"

Jessica turned at the girl's voice and smiled when she saw her. Sierra had already opened her arms for a hug, so Jessica met her halfway and pulled her up in a tight embrace.

"What are you doing here, short stuff?" Jessica asked holding her on her hip, brushing away a loose strand of hair that was strewn across her face.

"I had to go with Pappy today because everyone was busy and couldn't watch me. Now, I get to spend the day with you, Pappy, and my new great-grandma!" Sierra happily replied, waiting for Aunt Jessica to respond happily with her.

Jessica continued to smile for the girl, but looked over at Michael who was now approaching the scene. He saw his younger sister's look and sighed.

"I had to, okay? Besides, see how excited she is? This'll be great for her and don't worry, I already explained the whole situation to her.

"Yup, great-grandma's sick and I promise not to do anything that would make her sicker." Sierra responded, staring straight into Jessica's green eyes.

Jessica looked at her young niece's face and over to Michael who already knew her answer before she could even verbally say it.

"Okay, okay, just don't jump and scream all over the place." Jessica said with a grin as she sat Sierra back on her feet.

Sierra just giggled and took her aunt's hand in her right and Michael's in her left as they began to enter the facility.

It took a minute for them to see Jesselynn as her nurse gave Jessica and Michael a report on Jesselynn. They said she was doing very good this time around and was remembering some more things than last time. Of course, they were still from the past and nothing from the present. They expected as much, but was thrilled to know that she was doing much better this time around.

Sierra hid behind Michael's leg nervously as they entered her room. Michael smiled down at her and encouraged her to appear by his side rather than behind him. Sierra took that moment to look around the room. She thought it was pleasant, but was rather interested in the pictures on the walls and shelves than the decoration. She could see her aunts and uncles, though she wasn't exactly sure which was which because of their brown hair and green eyes, but she could find her Pappy very easily. She smiled at the picture of Michael when he was about her age. He had thick blonde hair -completely free of gray hairs- and she could spot fair freckles along his cheekbones. He looked so young and happy in the pictures with his mother and siblings. She wished she had as many stories and memories to tell like Michael did, but she didn't have any real memories with her parents. The only good thing she remembered was the first day she met Michael.

"Ah, Jazmine, Jeremy! I've been waiting all day for you two to get here!" Jesselynn said as she turned from some of the photo albums near her bed and began to greet them.

Sierra looked up at the elderly woman in front of her and grinned shyly. Jesselynn was surprised momentarily to see a new face with the group then smiled in warm welcome.

"Jesselynn, this is Sierra. Jeremy's granddaughter." Jessica said introducing the two as Michael took a seat, leaving Sierra to meet her great-grandmother.

"Hello, ma'am." Sierra said shaking the woman's hand and quickly returning to Michael's side with a grin as Jesselynn just chuckled at the shy girl.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Sierra." Jesselynn said taking her regular seat with a grin.

Sierra smiled at her then turned to Michael, tugging on his sleeve to show she wanted to tell him something quietly. He leaned down to her level and she covered his ear with her small hands.

"She doesn't look sick, Pappy."

Michael just smiled and shook his head. Sierra took that as a sign that now wasn't the time to really talk about it. Sierra understood and sat back onto the couch and looked at the adults as Jessica began speaking.

"Jesselynn, I hate to rush into something, but do you think you can tell us about how you and your husband started to come together? Like, what even brought you two to the others' attention." Jessica asked, getting comfortable in her seat as they all looked over at Jesselynn.

She was quiet for a moment as she thought about what brought them together. She remembered married life with him and first meeting him, but she rarely thought of in between as much as the other two. "Well, what brings anyone together? Before we rarely spoke together. We'd have half-hearted conversations. I liked to check on my brother and see that everything was going well whenever I could, which wasn't very often. But, I guess when we really began to focus on each other would have to be around the year '68. It may have been really early that year, but either way, that had to be the time when I started seeing him more than just an old warhorse."

* * *

_January 6, 1968_

_Vietnam_

_Jesselynn Thorne, Roxanne Fischer, and Sergeant Frank Woods_

"Trust me, she's great. I'm the beginner! I'm surprised you weren't scared with me…Although, now that you know I'm a beginner you're probably ready to strangle me, right now…Anyway, she's done this a million times so you don't have to worry." Roxanne rambled on beside him as she was gathering her things and rushing around the small office.

Sergeant Woods just arched a brow at her. This Roxanne was a strange woman who continued to ramble on and on when she was nervous. When she was stitching him up the first time around, he asked her to talk about something just to keep them both occupied. She talked about her young daughter back home and told him all her sweet, fond memories of her before realizing she was talking his ear off and probably letting him in on things he didn't even care about. She tried to make him speak, which he did, but he didn't have any fond memories to share. He just gave his two cents on the moments that he remembered and was out of there.

Now, it was weeks later and his stitches were ready to be removed. He couldn't wait to get them out of him either. He was ready to get back out there in the fight then wonder around the base checking in and out on some of his squad mates. They said he would get used to the stitches after a little while with them on, but he never did. He wanted them out the second they were in.

As Roxanne continued to gather the things she needed, he looked around the small office that Roxanne and her friend, Jesselynn, seemed to live in. Although, it would seem that Roxanne was living in the office more than the latter. He could catch a glimpse of a small framed photograph of a small girl, Roxanne, and a man in military uniform. He partially wondered who the man was and what had happened to him, but he never asked just in case the man shared the worst fate. He couldn't handle the sight of a weeping woman so he thought it best to just avoid it as much as possible.

There were two desks in the room, one pressed against the right wall and another against the opposite wall. He could definitely tell which belonged to which woman. The one nearest him was rather neat and had more character than the other. Besides the photograph, there was a small doll sitting on top of some files that she had taken out and laid on her desk. He guessed it was a doll that her daughter –which she spoke so fondly of, Sonora, wasn't it? –gave it to her as a gift to remember her by. Oh, if only that young girl knew how she spoke of her to him.

There was another picture, but he could barely make out what it was. He could see two people standing face-to-face in a big front yard. He guessed it was a wedding picture because of the appearance of a white dress and he could see the corner of the Military man once again. Maybe his suspicions were right; this man in uniform was her husband. He was slowly piecing together this strange woman in front of him that was now messing with something on the other desk.

The other wasn't as neat as Roxanne's was. It appeared like a tornado of paper suddenly struck the desk top last night when she must have been working. Medical files and multiple scraps of papers were scattered across her desk. The scrap paper was written on with neat, yet swift handwriting. He guessed they were notes from a book or file she read later that night. He tried to read some of the words on it, but he could barely pronounce the medical terms scribbled out before him. There were some slight smudges where she must've miscalculated or wrote the wrong word and tried to erase it, but left a mark on the fragile, delicate paper.

Besides the paper mess scattered around the desk, there was one object that interested him. It was a simple necklace, that he could tell. There was three charms carefully decorated on the chain and it just occurred to him that they were bottle caps. Three different brand names of soda were decorated on the top and were held securely in place by a piece of medal that looked like it was constructed from a wielder. The largest cap was longer than the other two, and was displayed the most than the others.

He couldn't understand what it meant and why it held such an importance to her. It was obvious it did because of how delicately it was placed on display. She made sure it was far from her mess she called a desk, which was probably best. He jokingly thought it would be engulfed in her tidal wave of papers.

He tore his eyes away from the desk when he saw that Roxanne caught him staring at the other woman's desk. She was just standing there with a grin on her face.

"Yeah, that's Jesselynn's. I wouldn't get too close to it, you might get lost in there." She said with a grin and a fake stern expression.

He grinned with her for a second, "Well, like my mother used to say, 'the messier the work space, the harder the worker'." He said with a grin on his face.

Roxanne smiled, "Yeah, probably so. I don't know how she does it. I never see her come out of her office unless it's to help transport wounded inside….I kind of worry about her, you know? She's too…armored from everything. With her brother here, it's the only thing that will make her take a step outside. I'd hate for something to happen to him. There's no telling what would happen to her if she loses him." She said, smile fading from view as she looked over at Jesselynn's desk, staring at the bottle cap necklace with him.

"She lost many people before?" He asked interested in why her brother's death would affect her so strongly. Well, yes, it is her only brother, but why would it end in complete catastrophe for her?

Roxanne sighed and took a seat on her desk, pulling her dress down as she looked over at him, "She'd probably kill me for telling you, but it's not like it's a big, classified secret. Hell, maybe Justin even told you, but when she was a little girl, her parents died in a bad car accident. She was present with them. I…just…feel so much pity for her. There's no telling what thoughts and images are torturing her mind still, you know? To be so young and really see and feel your parents dead bodies beside you…It's just terrible.

"She told me before that she had to go into a sort of foster care. This professor and his wife took her and her brother in sometime after the accident. She never cried or threw a fit over it just for her brother. He was too young to understand why they couldn't go back home to Mommy and Daddy anymore so she tried to make him forget about them, in a way. I honestly think she didn't want her baby brother feeling the pain she felt, even to this day. She's more open about them and what kind of people they were, but I think there's still something she's keeping from him. From me. I try to make her talk, but it seems to be no use, you know? She's just content with being by herself, I suppose." Roxanne explained, messing with her nails to avoid his eyes that she knew were staring down at her.

Woods sat there as he tried to soak this new information in. He remembered Justin saying that their parents were dead, but he never said how. Now, he figured he didn't even know, considering Roxanne's story. He guessed he could understand Jesselynn's reasons, but he couldn't understand why she would fully block out everyone. Then again, he'd figured he'd have to go through the same thing, but his was close to Jesselynn's. He could partially understand why she chose to just keep to herself. He found the company of just himself better than a large group, besides when he was on a mission.

The two were then interrupted when the same woman they were just speaking of appeared in the room, immediately going to her desk when she looked over at the two.

"Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear." Woods said under his breath with a grin as Roxanne stood up from her desk and began to gather her things once again.

"Excuse me?" Jesselynn questioned, hearing something coming from Woods' direction.

"We were just talking about you, Jess. I was telling Sergeant Woods here that he needn't worry about being taken care of by different hands." Roxanne said, trying to take the attention away from Woods as she hopped in between them and put on her best forced smile.

Jesselynn was quiet at first as she turned from Woods' view and began to take some of the equipment from Roxanne's hands that she offered her. "Well, I guess that was kind of you to assure someone's who's probably done this a million times before. I read his files, he ain't a stranger to the infirmary." Jesselynn said already preparing her station and looked up from under her lashes at Woods with a grin.

Woods grinned back for a second though it didn't reach his eyes. Roxanne figured he found it hard to look into her eyes. She couldn't blame him; after the story she told him he probably saw a different Jesselynn then the one he would occasionally speak with.

Roxanne could feel the awkward tension spreading and interrupted the silence by clapping her hands together and let out a sigh, "Well, I guess I'll leave you to do whatever now. Dr. Sanders wants to speak to me about some 'extra training' or something. Okay...See ya." She said as she gathered her things and what she would need for her and Dr. Sanders' meeting and disappeared out the door the second she could.

That left Woods and Jesselynn alone as she began preparing to remove his stitches.

Woods sat there quietly as he waited for Jesselynn, taking another look around the office room before his eyes rested back on Jesselynn. As he looked down at her busy hands, he couldn't help but notice a particular darkness that he could tell she was trying to hide with her cardigan sleeve. He couldn't tell exactly what, but he knew a bruise when he saw one. He wanted to say something, but decided it best to not place him in a situation he had no business in. Besides, it was probably just a clumsy accident she had around the base when he was busying himself with other things.

Jesselynn sighed and stepped closer to him, staring down at his shirt then up at him. When she continued to do so and made a motion with her hand, he responded to her quiet command.

"What?" He demanded, not knowing what she was pushing him to do now. He hated it when she and others would do that; expect him to read their minds.

She rolled her eyes and relaxed her shoulders, "I was hoping you wouldn't make me say this aloud. If I'm going to remove your stitches, you have to take off your shirt. Unless you have a special shirt that has a giant hole above your ribs." She said crossing her arms with a grin, feeling the blood run to her cheeks. She felt like she was asking her brother to remove his shirt.

Woods just nodded and did as she asked, wincing slightly as he did so. It was still weird feeling the stitches under his arm. He couldn't wait to get them out.

Jesselynn took the shirt he placed beside him and folded it nicely, placing it on Roxanne's desk.

"So you fold clothes and put them away, but you can't stack papers?" He joked, noticing her motion with his shirt.

She just grinned, "Yeah, it's a gift and a curse. I obsess over other's tidiness, but I can't clean my own shit." She said with a smile, moving his arm slightly so she could see what she was working with.

He chuckled softly, but tensed when he felt her hand touch his bare skin. They were...surprisingly softer than Roxanne's. Well, maybe just different than soft. He could feel her long nails press against the skin around his stitching. He had expected to feel the appearance of scars or some marks she had gained over her years, but felt no such thing. They were also cold, which made him jump at first when her chilled fingers came in contact with his.

"Okay, guess we should get started now." She said letting out a breath as she picked up her first tool.

"Think you can tell me about something? Makes this go by a lot faster." Woods said as she began, staring out at the bottle cap necklace once again.

Jesselynn sighed, "Don't tell me you're starting in on it now. I'm fixing to go insane!" She said staring down at her work, avoiding his eyes though she knew she wouldn't catch them staring at her.

Woods was quiet for a moment, "What are you even talkin' about?" He questioned, wondering why she was even accusing him of something he had no idea about.

"Ever since I got back from visiting Marcus, all Roxanne and Justin have been doing is trying to get me to talk. Speak, just speak, they tell me!...You'd think I was the most closed-mouth bitch that ever roamed this earth..." She said slightly aggravated and tugged on the thread an ounce too hard, causing him to wince. She muttered an apology and set back to work.

"Who's Marcus?"

"Oh, just an ex-fiancée. He's a jerk and I broke it off before I started working as a surgeon for the Military. I was only with him because he promised the best for my brother, but obviously, Justin made other plans then some high class college." She said calming down some, letting out a breath.

"Never knew you were engaged. Kind of shocking since you know, you're such a gentle homemaker." He said with a scoff, teasing about her accidental tug.

She just rolled her eyes with a grin, "Ha ha ha, very funny. Were is the exact word. Can't believe I even agreed to speak with 'im. We just...had to settle some things, you know?" She said glancing up at him from the corner of her eye.

Woods said nothing but arched his eyebrows for a split second, his eyes returning to that old bottle cap necklace. "Tell me something, what's up with that necklace there on your desk?" He said taking hold of the conversation.

Jesselynn glanced up at the necklace though she knew exactly what he was talking about. She felt a tug on her heart at the thought of it, but decided to answer. It's not like it was CIA, classified information, right?

"My dad made and gave it to me on my fifth birthday. He told me it'd give me luck on my first day of school. It'd help me through any kind of trouble because it was made from love. He, uh, even told me once he took a little corner of his heart and wielded it into each bottle cap on there. H'said that as long as I wore it that nothing would touch me because the love of my father was always there and protecting me...I've worn it for years and still do now a days. I don't know why I don't wear it...it just feels...wrong. Like I don't deserve it." She said, taking more pauses the more the pain of her father's loss struck her harder.

"What are you talkin' about? Don't deserve it?" He questioned, thinking that she _had _gone insane to think so.

Jesselynn was quiet and she began to work slower as she stared into his skin, "Justin probably told you by now or Roxanne just couldn't keep her mouth shut, but my parents and I were in a car accident when I was about ten. They were fighting about something and a deer came onto the road...I was terrified that we were going to hit so I thought I was doing the right thing by taking hold of the wheel and steering us off course...I was such an idiot! I should have never touched the damn wheel. We may have hit, but we'd all be alive to this day, right? Damage to the car instead of my whole life!" Jesselynn said, now growing angry with herself at the memory of that night.

Woods took a moment to process this. It explained why she was so quiet and kept to herself. It explained why she didn't talk about her parents to Justin that much. Woods sighed realizing she must've felt guilty about the whole thing. Now he understood why Roxanne spoke of so much pity when it came to Jesselynn and her past.

"Can...can we talk about something else, please? What about you? Considering how charming and charismatic you are, you must have someone back at home. Wife? Kids? Something? The only thing I know about you is your name and that you take a joy out of fighting. S'only fair after everything I told you now." She said quickly turning the conversation away from her and onto to something, anything, else.

Woods just chuckled, "No, none of that. All I have is my Ma. Well, there is my sister, but it's not like I'm going to talk to her any time soon."

Jesselynn looked up from her work to the side of his face, "What are you talking about? Why not?" She asked suddenly interested in this strange man's past.

He just shook it off, "Too much of a long story, save us time to just forget it."

"Trust me, you have plenty of time. Like I said, after everything you forced out of me tonight, it's only fair I get a slice of information out of you." Jesselynn pressed on, taking her work slower in order to get him to speak.

He just sighed and was tired of arguing with her, "Fine. It's a long story so I have to start out with my parents. My Ma was just seventeen when she had me, fifteen when my sister came along. My old man, when I was no older than three decided to join the Army. My Ma and my older sister, Rosalind, hated the idea of him going away when we were already struggling, but he still went. Ma took it the hardest. She had known him since they were just kids and married him young. She knew of no other love besides him. She hated being apart from him and you could tell. She wasn't as cheerful as she used to be and we started to grow apart. Mostly Rose and Ma since I was still very young.

"Well, when I was about four or five, we got the news that the chopper my father was in was shot down and he and five other men were killed. My Ma was crushed and Rose just kind of parted from me since I seemed to be the least affected, but it's not like I was trying to be like that. I never really got to know like they did. How am I supposed to be crushed over someone when I could barely remember their face?" He began to explain, sparing her the unneeded details of his childhood besides the main facts.

Jesselynn sat there for a moment, hands unmoving as she soaked in this information. She was suddenly glad of her memory the night of the car accident. She was able to bond and gain so many loving memories of her father, but this man in front of her couldn't share such a memory and his family began separating after his father's death.

"That's terrible...I'm...so sorry about that, Frank." She said staring up at him, forcing to gain his attention and look over at her.

He looked over at her and immediately found her light green eyes, filled with pity and sorrow. He hated the look, which was why he hated talking about his past so much. He had seeing that pity in their eyes when they looked at him. He remembered the same look in his teacher's and mother's eyes as he grew up. His mother said he was just like him, which only made the loss harder for her.

"It's alright. S'not like it's your fault. Long after that, when I decided to join, my sister was angry with him since she thought I was being suicidal. When I ignored her advice and talks, we just never talked again. I think she might be married; I know she has a little boy though. Ma told me about 'im. He's about four now, I think."

"It's still sad, either way you say it. I couldn't imagine Justin deciding to have nothing to do with me and then never knowing about a possible nephew or niece. Not judging you or anything, I'm just saying you're a lot stronger than me. I'd be going into hysterics in a corner or something." Jesselynn said, jokingly slightly as she began to make the finishing touches on her work.

Woods decided it best to say nothing and let her focus on her work once again. He thought about what she had said. Perhaps he had grown stronger when it came to that particular thing. It's not like Rosalind would welcome her young son into her brother's life with welcome arms. She'd probably consider him a bad influence or something of the sort. He had just grown used to it to where it no longer bothered him anymore. He only cared about his mother now.

"Well, I guess you're all ready to kick ass another day. You might not want to strain yourself so fast, but it shouldn't stop you for very long." She said standing straight and looking up at him as she returned him his shirt.

"Good, I've gotten so tired of sitting on my ass." He said throwing his shirt back on and turning towards her.

"I think I agree with you. Although, I'm usually busying myself with surgeries. Maybe with you back out there I'll see less of soldiers being rolled in here." Jesse said placing her fists on her hips, watching Woods take another look around the room as if there was an item he was supposed to be taking with him.

"Hey, thanks for letting me talk about my parents and stuff. It's really nice to just let out something to someone who really understands, you know? Of course, I could've just talked with Justin, but it's hard. Don't ask me why, but it's just hard for me to talk and act so weak in front of him. Ever since they died I always told and forced myself to be strong and never show any weakness in front of him. I guess I forced myself just a tad too much." She said, now staring down at her desk and trailing a fingernail across the wooden desktop.

Woods said nothing but nodded, "Yeah, I understand...Also...I'm sorry about your folks." He said hesitantly, staring at her face though she continued to avoid his eyes.

She let her finger trail over to the stack of papers before her eyes slowly found his. She was used to seeing him fake an emotion, but this time there was something different. It was a complete change or something like that. She would be foolish to think that one little talk with him would do that, but his eyes softened with something close to concern when he looked at her now. Behind blue eyes that she knew must have been ruined and damaged by the terrible and gory moments he must have seen in the years he'd been serving; there was still an ounce of that old, decent human being he must have been long before.

"...I'm sorry about yours." She said in a silent tone so just he could hear while she tried to show the same level of concern and emotion in her eyes as he did.

There was no other words between them as he gave a simple, quick nod and disappeared out the door and left Jesselynn with nothing but her thoughts.

She thought over what just happened and realized that that was the first time they really communicated. Yes, they had their casual conversations sometimes, but that was when she tracked him down to ask about her brother. He was growing stronger with each day that passed and Woods spoke proudly of him when she came around to ask him. Now, she wondered if he truly meant it or to feed her good words so she wouldn't bother him any longer. Either way, it still gave her relief to hear that he was making a name for himself here.

She also realized that that was the first time she ever spoke of her guilt to anyone. She couldn't understand why, but speaking with him was just so easy. He had the same complications during his childhood and had his dose of family drama. Yes, he wasn't the one who possibly killed his parents unknowingly, but Jesselynn still greatly pitied his situation more than hers now. He lost his father before he could even share a memory with him. He had his mother, but his sister sounded like she was far out of the question.

Jesselynn began to wonder if she had told Justin a long time ago about their parents' death, would he be like Rosalind? She wouldn't blame him if he did. She hated herself and her decisions, too. But could she live with the thought of Justin wanting absolutely nothing to do with her? Not caring if she was alive or dead? Justin was the only thing that kept her strong; kept her going. If he had turned away from her at such a young age, Jesselynn had no idea what she would do. Probably just go back to Marcus or someone like him and just wait to waste away or wait until he beat her death. Whichever was faster.

Jesselynn took a seat in the closest chair and held her face in her palms. She was so exhausted. She hadn't even had a tiring or long day, but the lack of sleep she seemed to be getting just made her shoulders heavier and steps slower with each day that passed. She couldn't help but think how ironic it was. Justin grew stronger and Jesselynn was slowly wasting away already. She scoffed at herself when she thought her escape from Marcus _really _helped after all.

As she forced herself up from the chair, she started to make plans about going to bed early. She would check the patients, make sure everything was stable and that they were comfortable, then maybe do some last minute paper work and trudge her way back to her quarters. She'd probably beat Roxanne once again. She seemed to be going to bed sooner than the latter lately, which made her curious. Roxanne used to be the one who beat almost everyone to bed, but now she seemed to be slipping in at the break of dawn. Jesselynn thought about asking her secret as she began to walk down the aisles of hurt and recovering men, asking the conscious ones -who were able to comfortably speak with her- of their current position and if they were alright.

* * *

**Okay, sorry for taking a while to update this. I thought I would have, but it took me forever to really write the scene between Frank and Jesse. I hope it turned out alright and lived up to any expectations, if any. I definitely had fun writing this one. Also, what do you think of the Woods back story? It was rather difficult to think of something that would mold the wonderful Sergeant Woods we all love now and not make a mockery of it. Please tell me what you thought and if you have any kind of advice, PLEASE TELL ME! Anything helps and would be a million times appreciated.**

**Hmm...Creative Question: If you could think of a different way for Woods and Jesse to really notice each other, how would you do it? Please answer, I'd love to see what your amazing minds can come up with!**

**Okay, I think I'll go now. I'll try to update soon, but there's no telling with me. But, you'll know when I update when you see an alert! :D Thank you all so much for reading and sticking with me! I promise real soon there will be chapters involving the first Black Ops storyline! Once again, thank you oh so much!**


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